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Objectives
Direct radiating antennas (DRA) and semi active reflector based antennas are currently being considered for the implementation of reconfigurable payloads and mobile terminals. Both applications require Beam Forming Networks (BFN), integrating a very high number of phase and amplitude control MMICs with the associated digital control electronics.
Current SiGe MMIC technology allows the design of multinode MMICs integrating more than one beam-forming node on the same chip. The technology also allows the integration of mixed analogue/digital functions on the same chip, thus significantly reducing the complexity, part count, yield and overall cost of BFNs.
The activity has two objectives:
- The design, manufacture and testing of an EM for a Ku band BFN module, based on a multinode on chip implementation using a European MMIC process. This module shall be functionally, technologically, electrically and mechanically representative of future on board implementations.
- The design, manufacture and testing of a multinode MMIC for use in future Ku band phased array mobile terminals.
Challenges
Multifuctional integrated MMIC represents key components of the future antenna BFN, allowing the minimization of the interconnections and the simplification of both the digital and RF circuitry.
The main challenges are to design an MMICs with a very precise phase control (for both User-Terminal and On-Board) and a linear in dB gain control (On-Board).
Phase and Gain controls actuation on each RF arm is managed with a circuital solution that takes advantage of both Bipolar and MOS available transistors, which are meant to face process yield variation allowing additional resolution control bits to tune the BFN coefficient value.
Plan
The plan will focus on the following points:
- Correction on the layout for the final foundry run, based on tests results;
- Tests on final MMICs;
- Test and Final Review.
The project has been divided in two Phases: a requirement analysis and detailed design Phase. A MAIT phase where two IHP Foundry runs have been planned.
Current Status
The project is now finished.
