SBIR-STTR Award

Current MDA phased array radar systems cost the US government hundreds of millions of dollars. In addition, these radar systems use electronics technology that is 20+ years old. As a result, the performance of these radars does not meet critical system goals such as array sensitivity. We propose to improve array system performance to meet current and future requirements while simultaneously reducing cost by applying the most recent advances in electronic technology which includes our proprietary "Zero Thermal Path" T/R module technology. Specifically the goals are to reduce phased array cost by a factor of 3-5, improve thermal performance by a factor of 10-20 and improve array manufacturability by a factor of 5

The state of DOD radar systems technology is falling short of meeting current and future requirements. The performance of these radars does not meet critical system goals such as array sensitivity and the cost severely limits the number of systems that can be deployed. MMICMAN proposes to improve array system performance to meet current and future requirements while simultaneously reducing cost. SiGe HBT technology has emerged from the research laboratory, entered mass-manufacturing and is poised to enter the commercial RF and microwave market. The combination of SiGe HBT’s with advanced Si CMOS to form a SiGe BiCMOS technology represents a unique opportunity for Si-based RF system-on-a-chip solutions. In the option section of this proposal, a SiGe control MMIC design is proposed. This MMIC is essential in realizing the cost and performance metrics necessary for use in future DoD radar programs.

Keywords:
Mmic, Vga, Phase Shifter, Sige, T/R Module, Trim, Radar, X-Band