SBIR-STTR Award

XCOM Wireless is an RF MEMS developer focusing on products for Defense prime contractors and the commercial test and instrumentation communities. The Ohio State University is committed to the modeling, optimization, and characterization of MEM devices and antenna arrays. Both teams have MEM and ESA design experience, and understand pitfalls of both hybrid and fully-integrated architectures. In this program, XCOM and OSU team up to design Ka-band MEM phase shifters and ESA subarrays using piezoelectric meta-materials being commercialized under a U.S. Army CRADA. The team will begin by assessing existing 20-22 GHz phase shifter and arrays, meta-material tuning element, and chip-scale packaging to identify risk elements, although no incompatibilities of element frequency, bandwidth, reliability, lifetime, size, loss, or isolation are evident. Modeling may achieve a preliminary phase shifter design capable of hitting all Phase II target specifications, with a question being in the adaptability of the meta-tuner to adapt/flatten response across the band, and the effects of high transmit power on tuning. These are critical technologies to support and questions to answer, as the availability of qualified RF MEMS components can lead to the rapid success of government and commercial systems with higher performance than previously possible.

Benefit:
If successful, these technologies could be used in Government electronically steerable antennas for radar and tactical radio systems, radar and communications test sets, cellular wireless infrastructure, and ultimately even consumer devices. The direct benefits to the Department of Defense from supporting this effort include the laboratory testing of small-form electronically steered tactical radio systems within the timeline of the Phase II effort, and environment-equivalent controlled range testing within 1 year after. Phase III field testing and qualified production can begin within two years after the Phase II effort, as most UAV and communications prime contractors are already familiar with XCOM MEMS products and ESA benefits. Additional benefits will be realized down-stream using these technologies in reconfigurable radar and communication systems with forward-compatible system architectures to complement software-defined waveforms and adaptive EW systems with greater tunability. These technologies accomplish power savings while improving sensitivity, data link quality, and EW resilience at reduced cost and component count. The greatest commercial benefits are substantial energy savings in cellular infrastructure, reducing carbon footprint; an estimated 10 million tons of CO2 can be eliminated within 5 years of the completion of Phase II. Total addressable markets in 2013 for these technologies are projected at $1.4 billion across Government and civilian applications. This program leverages internal XCOM and prime contractor development efforts, enabling a small STTR investment to achieve a “high return” in terms of rapid and relevant prototype hardware development and field testing.

Keywords:
Mems, Phase Shifter, Phased-Array, Esa, Uav, Radar, Communications, Meta-Material

XCOM Wireless is an RF MEMS developer focusing on products for Defense prime contractors and the commercial test and instrumentation communities. The Ohio State University is committed to the modeling, optimization, and characterization of RF circuits, meta-materials, and novel antenna arrays. In this program, XCOM and OSU team up to develop phased array antennas based on OSU’s tightly-coupled broadband arrays, with beam steering performed by piezoelectric MEMS circuits being commercialized under a U.S. Army CRADA. In Phase I, the team scaled existing phase shifter and array architectures to the 24.5-27 GHz band to meet program requirements, and test structures were fabricated. No incompatibilities of bandwidth, reliability, lifetime, size, or performance were found, and manufacturing constraints have already been folded back into design. In the Phase II effort, the K-band phased array will be prototyped, tested, and iterated, and a commercially attractive version spanning Ku and Ka bands will be developed and prototyped to meet the prime UAV EW and radar developer needs. These are critical technologies to support, as miniaturized phased arrays can lead to the rapid proliferation of low-cost government and commercial radar, EW, and communications systems with higher performance, smaller size, and reduced power consumption.

Benefit:
The electronically steerable antenna subsystems developed in this program will be used in UAV Electronic Warfare sensor systems, pre-shot sniper detection radar systems, communications test sets, and SATCOM systems. The direct benefits to the Department of Defense from supporting this effort include the rapid advancement of a low-cost phased array antenna that will greatly increase the EW and pre-shot sniper detection capabilities of UAVs and other platforms. When used in an EW sensor, for example, this subsystem could alert operators when their UAV is targeted by the handheld commercial radar systems now being used by asymmetric combatants and criminal entities. The system will provide slew-to-cue direction commands compatible with nearly all present camera and weapon systems deployed on UAVs and uUAVs today, at a target cost of only $10k. Laboratory testing of small-form electronically steered antenna subsystems at Ku, K, and Ka bands will be completed within the timeline of the Phase II effort, with system-equivalent testing to TRL and MRL 5. Environment-equivalent range testing can be completed within 1 year to TRL and MRL 6-7. Phase III field testing and qualified production can begin within two years after Phase II. Additional future benefits will be realized down-stream using these technologies in reconfigurable radar, EW, and communication systems with forward-compatible architectures and software-defined waveforms and signal processing. These technologies accomplish power savings while improving data link quality, security, and EW resilience for our warfighters at reduced cost and component count. The greatest potential commercial benefits are substantial energy savings in cellular infrastructure, reducing carbon footprint. An estimated 10 million tons of CO2 can be eliminated within 5 years of the completion of Phase II if adopted by a single major carrier. Total addressable markets in 2015 for these technologies are projected at $1.4 billion across Government and civilian applications. This program leverages internal XCOM development and government partnerships, enabling a small STTR investment to achieve a high return on investment in terms of rapid and relevant prototype hardware development and field testing.

Keywords:
MEMS, phased array, ESA, UAV, radar, communications, EW, meta-material