Analog Front End Integrated Circuits for Mixed Signal Spacecraft Applications

By definition mixed signal systems include a digital processing function and an analog or power function. When complex circuits are integrated to reduce parts count, it is typically not optimal to combine the analog and digital portions in one device. Application targeted Analog Front End (AFE) ICs tend to be a more efficient combination of circuitry than a random programmable analog array. By partitioning the majority of the digital circuitry in a programmable device such as an FPGA, control functionality can be readily programmed using an intuitive hardware definition language such as VHDL or Verilog. An AFE reduces the number and complexity of the analog to digital communication links.