Bae Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.

Other

James J Komiak

Cheryl V Liss

Danny A Barnum

David E Maron

A monolithic microwave integrate circuit (MMIC) presents as a power amplifier including a 9:1 overlay transformer and artificial low impedance transmission lines. The 9:1 overlay transformer effects the output impedance thereof. The artificial low impedance transmission lines behave as inductors without occupying an amount of space equivalent to that of an inductor having similar properties as the artificial low impedance transmission line.

Monolithic microwave integrated circuit having an overlay transformer and low impedance transmission lines

A phased array antenna which can change the configuration of the phased array antenna by controllable quad switches on the phased array antenna is presented. The phased array antenna adapts monolithic microwave integrate circuit (MMIC) technology to have high isolation interconnection of the reconfigurable phased array antenna. The reconfigurable phased array antenna can be reusable and adaptable to different configurations so that the overall cost and lead time of the phased array antenna is reduced compared to the existing RF antennas in the market.

Monolithic quad switch for reconfigurable antennas

A device, system and method for a wideband low noise amplifier is provided. The device may include a main amplifier and an error amplifier. In each amplifier is a phase inverter configured to invert the incoming signal. Additionally, rather than being formed from discrete components, the conductors of this wideband low noise amplifier are formed from microwave monolithic integrated circuits to provide for greater efficiency, which enables the low noise amplifier to operate in wideband rather than narrowband. A method of using the same is also provided.

Wideband high dynamic range low noise amplifier

An amplifier for amplifying signals is presented. A cascode power amplifies includes two or more adjacent cascode amplifiers and at least one remote cascode amplifier. The adjacent cascode amplifiers are lined up adjacent each other with inputs of the adjacent cascode amplifiers connected to a common input line and outputs of the of adjacent cascode amplifiers connected to a common output line. The adjacent cascode amplifiers generally operate in parallel. The remote cascode amplifier is spaced apart from the adjacent cascade amplifiers. An input transmission line connects an input of the remote cascode amplifier to the common input line. An output transmission line connects an output of the remote cascode amplifier to the common output line. Amplified outputs of the adjacent cascode amplifiers and amplified outputs of the remote cascode amplifier are power combined and summed into a coherent amplified output signal that is output on the output transmission line.

Cascode power amplifier

An amplifier for amplifying signals is presented. A cascode power amplifier includes two or more adjacent cascode amplifiers and at least one remote cascode amplifier. The adjacent cascode amplifiers are lined up adjacent each other with inputs of the adjacent cascode amplifiers connected to a common input line and outputs of the of adjacent cascode amplifiers connected to a common output line. The adjacent cascode amplifiers generally operate in parallel. The remote cascode amplifier is spaced apart from the adjacent cascode amplifiers. An input transmission line connects an input of the remote cascode amplifier to the common input line. An output transmission line connects an output of the remote cascode amplifier to the common output line. Amplified outputs of the adjacent cascode amplifiers and amplified outputs of the remote cascode amplifier are power combined and summed into a coherent amplified output signal that is output on the output transmission line.

A system and method for amplifying and wave shaping a signal is presented. A system includes a Class F/Inverse Class F radio frequency (RF) power amplifier (PA). The RF PA includes an amplifier and an output matching network. The amplifier amplifies a radio wave signal to produce and an amplified signal. The output matching network wave shapes the amplified signal using a plurality of tuning stubs to generate an output signal. The tuning stubs operate at different harmonics of the amplified signal. When operating in a Class F mode the plurality of tuning stubs act as short circuits at even harmonics and the plurality of tuning stubs act as open circuits at odd harmonics. When operating in an Inverse Class F mode the plurality of tuning stubs act as open circuits and at even harmonics the plurality of tuning stubs act as short circuits at odd harmonics.

Method of operating a power amplifier in class F/inverse class F

A system for power amplification is presented. A tile array power amplifier (PA) module for use in a phased array includes a module with a radio frequency (RF) side and a direct current (DC) side, a top edge, a left edge a bottom edge and a right edge. Four PA dies are mounted in each quadrature of the RF side of the module. RF input connectors are mounted on the RF side to bring RF inputs to the PA dies. RF output connectors are mounted to the DC side to output amplified signals from the PA dies. The PA dies are formed, in part, with gallium nitride (GaN) and are mounted to the module in such a way that the tile array PA module is able to generate about 100 watts of RF power and dissipate about 200 watts of heat while amplifying signals over 10 GHz.

Tile array PA module using quadrature balanced PA MMICs

An RF tag is provided to communicate with an interrogating source in which the tag has programmability and flexibility to uplink data to multiple platforms. As such the RF tag functions as a miniature programmable transceiver capable of communicating with a plurality of different platforms each having different waveform characteristics. With well-controlled spectral characteristics due to stored waveforms and the use of specialized direct digital up and down conversion techniques, data rates up to 256 kbps are achievable. The tag is thus capable of converting microwave signals directly to digital inputs, and the transmitter generates microwave signals directly from digital outputs. Flexible digital processing also allows a throughput of 900 BOPS when using field programmable gate arrays.

Digital RF tag

A conversionless direct detection system for detecting signals having a very large dynamic range, with a virtually unlimited bandwidth utilizes a successive detection approach having successive log amplifier gain stages, with each gain stage involving simultaneous use of an RF transistor to perform both limiting and logging functions. FET transistors are used to extend the operating range beyond 200 GHz, with the self-bias in combination with a drain resistor limiting voltage and current swings. A log video output is tapped off the source resistor and is coupled to a buffering stage, with the outputs of the buffering stage summed to accommodate very large dynamic range swings of the input voltage, with successive stages saturating at different points to operate at different and contiguous regions, thus to provide the wide dynamic range. The limited RF signal is tapped off the drain resistor, with the stages connected in series to provide the limited RF output as the output of the last stage.

Method and apparatus for conversionless direct detection

An X-band capable track and hold amplifier capable of handling input frequencies of greater than 1 GHz, and as high as 15 GHz. The amplifier is built using a pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistor (PHEMT) process which gives high yield and uniformity.

High speed track and hold amplifier for direct digital down-conversion

Direct up-conversion of a signal is accomplished using a sampling pulse generator circuit and a gated differential amplifier, enabled by the sampling signal. When not enabled, the output of the differential amplifier is pulled to zero. The sampling pulse is generated from a base frequency sine wave which is squared with a limiting amplifier, and further passed through one or more frequency doublers producing a times two signal, a times four signal and so on. The squared base frequency and frequency doubled signals are logically ORed to produce a short duration pulse which repeats at the frequency of the base signal. The resulting output is an amplitude modulated pulse doublet time domain waveform.

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Merrimack, NH, United States of America

James J Komiak