Microchip’s Radiation-Tolerant (RT) PolarFire® FPGA Achieves QML Class Q Qualification 

Products that have Qualified Manufacturers List (QML) designations are often the most trusted and readily accepted in space program designs. As designated by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), the RT PolarFire FPGA from Microchip Technology is now QML Class Q qualified. This certification is considered the gold standard in entry-level qualification, enabling designers to integrate the RT PolarFire FPGA into their space flight systems more efficiently. Because QML qualifications are standardized based on specific performance and quality requirements governed by the DLA, customers can streamline their design process using QML-qualified products.

Low-power and reprogrammable RT PolarFire FPGAs offer expanded logic density and high performance, significantly improving signal processing throughput. Unlike SRAM-based FPGA alternatives, these devices do not exhibit any configuration Single-Event Upsets (SEUs) in radiation and, therefore, do not require mitigation, which reduces engineering expenses and Bill of Materials (BOM) costs. 

MIL-STD-883B, the baseline qualification standard for QML Class Q, sets forth strict methods for testing microelectronic devices to ensure they suit military and aerospace electronic systems. To achieve QML Class Q qualification, the RT PolarFire FPGA underwent rigorous assessments to determine its ability to withstand the harmful effects of natural elements and brutal conditions in defense and space operations.

By achieving QML Class Q qualification, RT PolarFire FPGAs prove their ability to support systems requiring the highest component quality. In addition, the QML Class Q qualification paves the way for an eventual QML Class V qualification while demonstrating the continued reliability of RT PolarFire FPGAs in space applications.