Submission of proposals
U.S Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC)
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| U.S Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC)
A00-164 TITLE: MMW 95 GHz Intermediate Power Amplifier TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Sensors, Electronics DOD ACQUISITION PROGRAM SUPPORTING THIS PROGRAM: Program Executive Officer-Air and Missile Defense OBJECTIVE: Advance the state-of-the-art in millimeter wave power amplifier electronics. Develop, test and field a wide-band millimeter wave medium power amplifier. DESCRIPTION: Advancements in new electronic materials and microfabrication technologies offer opportunities for significant breakthroughs in millimeter wave electronic systems. A particular need exists for high reliability, medium power amplifiers, which operate in the 90-100 GHz range. Existing millimeter-wave technology provides small-signal processing components such as attenuators, switches, and isolators, power dividers and couplers that are fabricated by precision machining techniques. Vacuum tubes are also available for high power applications (> 100 W). Commercial semi-conductor components for W-Band applications have lagged behind these other products and are just now becoming commercially viable. These devices, in particular, could be used to provide medium power functions such as driver amplifiers for high power tubes or to provide compact solutions to satisfy less demanding requirements. Active semi-conductor devices also promise drastic improvements in frequency response, linearity, bandwidth, size, cost and maintainability over the technologies now in use. Solutions that meet even the primary requirements have not yet been developed in any technology and it is by no means certain that all primary requirements can simultaneously be met. The best available solutions to date rely on IMPATT- or GUNN-diode devices and are lacking in bandwidth, peak power and signal linearity. In addition, commercial amplifiers using diodes have been unreliable, expensive and difficult to manufacture and adjust. PHASE I: Analyze and compare the predicted performance of candidate technologies, detailing significant advances needed and predicted risks. Develop designs for selected technologies. PHASE II: Based on the results of Phase 1, develop a prototype design, and conduct laboratory and field demonstrations of the prototype system. The MMW radar at Kwajalein Atoll may be utilized as a demonstration test-bed. This 95GHZ radar is an example of a medium power driver application and could provide a platform on which to demonstrate reliability and ruggedness. For this purpose, the proposed amplifier would need 4 GHz bandwidth, 1 W peak power, 50 microsecond pulsewidth and 20% duty cycle. Demonstration in the MMW radar would also require WR-10 input and output connections, 1.8:1 input and output VSWR and unconditionally stable operation. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Transition the design of Phase II to meet commercial needs. Possible high volume uses include transmit amplification for collision avoidance radars and transmit amplification for interceptor/seeker applications. The underlying technology might also be adapted to other center frequencies, allowing applications in communications, networking, navigation or imaging to be developed. The confluence of semiconductor device technology, millimeter wave applications and emerging specialty manufacturers make this product area ripe for successful development. OPERATING AND SUPPORT COST (OSCR) REDUCTION: A goal of this project, second only to proper electrical performance is to produce reliable, maintainable, medium power amplification at 95 GHz. Such technology will transfer the difficult diagnosis and repair of device failures to industry and eliminating the need to provide internal support at remote locations. KEYWORDS: Millimeter wave, mm-wave, W-band, radar, power amplifier, driver amplifier, wideband. Download 1.22 Mb. Share with your friends:
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