Advanced front end RF units based on non hermetic packaging

  • Status
    Ongoing
  • Status date
    2014-07-01
Objectives
The overall objective of this study is concerned with the design, manufacture and test of a Ka/IF EM Down-Converter based on a Non hermetic packaging and reduce the weight and the size of RF/IF section, LO section, TM/TC section, DC/DC section by using new devices and technologies or by considering new architectures.
The first phase includes an exhaustive review of all possible improvements leading to a further integration of the RF unit. Based on this first analysis phase, the various effective RF Front end unit improvements targeted for the EM shall be identified and preliminary design architecture shall be presented together with the adequate reliability evaluation test program.

The second phase will consist in the detailed design, manufacturing and test of an EM Frequency Converter associated to evaluation tests.

Challenges

Demonstrate the applicability and maturity of non-hermetic technologies for RF microwave units.

Benefits
Cost reduction of the microwave units by keeping the same electrical performances and the same reliability.
Reduction of the weight and size of the overall microwave units by using miniaturized components and new architectures.
Features
The Down-Converter demonstrator is composed of:
  • a slice including the RF chain and the TM/TC function
  • a dummy LO section
  • a DC/DC converter section. It assures the bus voltage conversion, the bias voltages regulation and the ON/OFF TM/TC interface
These sections are gathered on a single structure (stand-alone configuration).
 
The Down-converter demonstrator performs the following functions:
  • the amplification of the RF signal with a low added noise
  • the translation of the input signal from the 30 GHz band to the 800 MHz band
  • the amplification of the signal at 800 MHz 
The following figure shows the RF and TMTC slice.
Plan
The study is divided in two phases.
Phase 1: Technologic/ technical guidelines and impact on the architecture definition - Baseline and Preliminary design
Phase 2: Detailed design, Manufacturing and Test
Current status

The contract is now closed