Description
Priority 2: Priority 2 activities will only be initiated on the explicit request of at least one delegation.
Objective: Breadboarding and demonstration of a high order advanced broadband switch matrix using highly integrated mixed analogue/digital MMIC technology.
Targeted Improvements: Significant improvement (> 30%) of the level of integration, mass, sizeand cost of solid state switch matrices. Electronics and distribution for large high order RF switch matrices.
High performance Silicon-Germanium processes are the technology of choice for the realization of high-frequency integrated systems of high complexity at low manufacturing cost. The use of this technology will allow the integration of control electronics and RF switch functionality on the same chip and may also allow the integration of more than one RF switch (e.g. crossbar function) on a single MMIC. This will introduce a significant reduction in switch matrix complexity, mass, size and cost that will be very beneficial for broadband multimedia payloads, where large solid state switch matrices will be needed for flexible connectivity ( channel to beam) as well as low level redundancy. Also innovative payload/system concepts as smart gateways will need switch matrices for flexible on board reassignment of user beams to different gateways.
Development plan:
The activity will first assess technology options, trade-off different wide-band band switch matrix architectures, assess performance (achievable bandwidth, potential of gain, linearity, phase noise, ...) and perform a preliminary design of a high order switch matrix using highly integrated mixed analogue/digital MMIC technology (i.e. SiGe). The next step is the development of a highly integrated multinode switch MMIC on mixed analogue/digital MMIC technology (i.e. SiGe) aiming to cover the Ku- and Ka-band.
Finally this multinode switch MMIC will be integrated in a proof-of-concept switch matrix demonstrator to validate the predicted performance figures and targeted improvements.