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IC's temperature ratings

hevans1944

Hop - AC8NS
Jun 21, 2012
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Speciality means l think so of its operating temperature.
Operating temperature is just ONE factor in qualifying an integrated circuit to military specifications. Testing and documentation of the results of those tests is another. Quality control is a third factor to consider before a part can be deemed worthy of military application. You definitely don't want to play "Can you hear me now?" games on the battlefield with bullets whizzing overhead!

There is virtually no difference in how a military-specified integrated circuit is manufactured compared to a commercial version, but mil-spec parts receive extra attention and care at all steps along the way from wafer prep to final dicing and packaging followed by testing to verify that critical specifications are met. It is extremely difficult to perform component-level repairs on military equipment, so reliability is of paramount importance. The extreme care that must be exercised to obtain higher reliability drives the cost up considerably, leading to the lucrative business of counterfeiting military ICs but with unhappy consequences to the soldier in the field.

For much more information on this subject, please visit some of the links at this Google results page obtained with key words "mil spec docs".
 

AnalogKid

Jun 10, 2015
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And it's not just for the IC's. The pile of specs for circular connectors (38999, 5015, etc.) is over 1600 pages.

ak
 

hevans1944

Hop - AC8NS
Jun 21, 2012
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If that isn't enough to boggle your mind, check out the links on this Google results page that came up when the key words "radiation hardened electronics" was used as the search string. It's not just about about bullets and mayhem anymore: it's tough to survive, much less reliably operate, in outer space, or near the un-shielded core of a nuclear fission reactor, or in the near vicinity of a high-energy particle accelerator, but it's nevertheless necessary for instrumentation and control purposes to do just that. And don't even ask what is required to get approval to use an electronic device for medical purposes, where threat of failure could jeopardize human life. The CYA paperwork is enormous, even assuming you can actually get a manufacturer's permission and approval.

Well, I certainly hope that Medtronic used really good and approved parts in my heart pacemaker/defibrillator. I go in Monday afternoon for a wireless diagnostic scan to find out if it is still working properly and for an estimate of the remaining (non-rechargeable) battery life. The surgeon who implanted this thing in Dayton, OH, on 29 April 2015 neglected to include a zippered incision closure that would allow easy battery/device replacement. Nor is it a high-end implant that can be inductively charged by placing a coil on my chest. Of course I am not at all sure I would even want a Li-ion battery implanted in my body. If I live long enough to require at least one more device swap, I figure I'm ahead of the game. Two or more swaps and I would be pushing a century of living under the threat of death... but aren't we all in that boat?

Now, @Uma maheshwari, go design something reliable that will eliminate the need for war and advance the agenda of world peace. Cost is no object for this project, but time is of the essence.
 

(*steve*)

¡sǝpodᴉʇuɐ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥd
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Jan 21, 2010
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There may be some mundane reasons why milspec ics, with their large operating temperature ranges, are more expensive.

Often (at least in the past) you would find them in much more expensive ceramic packages. Added to that, the quantity of manufacture would be much lower. And testing may need to be performed at wider temperature ranges leading to a lower yield.

You see something similar in CPU chips. The various speeds may use exactly the same die, but only a proportion will operate at the highest speeds. When operating near the limits of the technology, the yield of the highest performing chips may be very low, leading to these selected parts being very expensive. As the yield rises, the cost differential typically falls as far as the marketing department will allow it to.
 
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