TRW/JPL High-Frequency Indium Phosphide Chips Enable Smaller, More Capable Telecom and Remote Sensing Satellites
Source: TRW
Redondo Beach, CA. A new family of high-frequency, indium phosphide (InP) integrated circuits developed by TRW (NYSE:TRW) and NASA s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Pasadena, Calif., promises to increase data rates, shrink the size and increase the overall performance capabilities of next-generation satellite communications and remote sensing payloads.
The low-noise amplifier (LNA) millimeter wave monolithic integrated circuits (MMICs) were fabricated using TRW s 0.07-micron gate high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) process. They offer state-of-the-art gain and noise figures at operating frequencies ranging from 100 billion cycles per second (100 GHz) to 215 GHz. The 215 GHz InP LNA is the highest frequency integrated circuit ever reported.
The chips frequencies are significant because the International Telecommunications Union, which coordinates international spectrum allocation, in April opened spectrum in the 70-180 GHz frequency bands to future radio, satellite communications, radar and radio astronomy applications.
"High frequency and low noise are critical parameters for next-generation telecommunications and scientific satellite applications," said Dwight Streit, TRW s vice president and executive director, Advanced Semiconductors. "TRW s mature InP chip technology positions us to develop smaller, more sensitive and more power-efficient instruments for remote sensing applications such as radio astronomy and atmospheric sounding. "The chips high frequencies also enable higher data rates for commercial wireless communications links while their low-noise figures improve the quality of those links."
The new LNA chips are described in a technical paper that was presented by TRW and JPL at the 2000 GaAs IC Symposium held earlier this month in Seattle.
TRW s family of high-frequency InP MMICs includes a three-stage, single-ended 112-120 GHz LNA providing 15 dB of gain and a noise figure of 4-5 dB; a three-stage single-ended 165-190 GHz LNA with a demonstrated 14 dB of gain and a noise figure of 7 dB; and a six-stage, single-ended 160-215 GHz LNA with 15-27 dB of gain with a measured module noise figure of 8 dB at 170 GHz. Gain is a measure of a chip s ability to amplify a signal, while noise figure is a measure of a chip s ability to amplify a signal without distortion.
"The diversity and performance of these LNA chips underscore TRW s success in developing a stable, robust process for fabricating high-frequency, high-performance indium phosphide MMICs," added Streit. "That process serves as the foundation of our plans to apply the technology to a broad range of commercial and government applications."
Last month, TRW announced the completion of a high-volume InP production facility, which will produce TRW s advanced InP for rapidly growing telecommunications market applications, including fiber optic transmission systems, mobile wireless communications and broadband wireless services. Fabrication equipment is being installed, with initial production scheduled for early 2001.
Based in Cleveland, Ohio, TRW provides advanced technology products and services for the global automotive, space and defense, telecommunications and information technology markets. The company s 1999 sales totaled approximately $17 billion. TRW news releases are available on the Internet at www.trw.com and www.businesswire.com/trw.
Contact: TRW Inc. Brooks McKinney Tel: 310/814-8177 brooks.mckinney@trw.com
TRW Inc.Brooks McKinney
Tel: 310/814-8177
brooks.mckinney@trw.com
E-mail: brooks.mckinney@trw.com
Web site: http://www.businesswire.com/trw
