Highly Integrated Application Specific MMICS for Active Phased Array Radar Applications

Application specific MMIC solutions for active array radar, developed at TNO-FEL. are presented.
The use and application of these MMICs in their respective radar systems will be shown. These
MMICs address the needs for current and future phased-array topologies as for example the
concept of "smart skins". The MMICs functions to be presented are: highly integrated RF-control
circuits, wide-band, high gain, high-efficiency solid state power amplifiers, and finally integrated
tuneable microwave filters for radar receiver front-ends. Various MMIC solutions for amplitude
and phase control are shown. The design, manufacturing, performance and application of linear
vector modulators, variable gain amplifiers, phase shifters and fully integrated multi-functions
chips are presented. Prototypes manufactured in state-of-the-art GaAs MMIC process are
presented. High-power amplifiers are described that comply with future active phased-array
operations. As typical examples the development of MESFET and HEMT power amplifier at Xband
are described with more than 10 Watt output power. These amplifiers are intended as
altematives to replace the cascade chain ofthe traditional driver and high-power amplifier in TR modules.
Tuneable band stop filters and band pass filters are described which focus at a reduction
of EMI effects in wide band transmit-receive modules. A significant improvement in out-of-band
power compression in wide-band front-ends can be achieved by implementing a tuneable narrowband
filter. However, these filters may not degrade the radar performance and hence a filter is
required with a low noise figure, low cost, small size, good power-pushing behaviour and which is
easy controllable. MMIC tuneable filters at X-band which comply with these requirements and
manufactured in MESFET and in HEMT processes are presented.