Menlo Microsystems (Menlo Micro), the company responsible for reinventing the electronic switch, has introduced the MM6005, a high-power 7-channel reconfigurable filter. It is the company's first subsystem product manufactured with their proprietary Ideal Switch™ technology. The MM6005 targets global UHF military bands, but the technology is scalable to support any number of filter channels as well as frequencies up to 50 GHz.
Advances in software-defined radios, wider RF channel bandwidths, and more complex modulation schemes require higher performance filters in the RF front-end chain. Emerging communication systems and infrastructure demand lower losses and improved out of band signal rejection, along with an emphasis on extreme ruggedness. The MM6005 is a highly compelling solution for a multitude of demanding applications, including land tactical, satellite terminals, and electronic warfare systems, with extensibility to commercial and 5G infrastructure.
The MM6005 exhibits substantial performance improvements while decreasing size and weight by over 90%. By reducing insertion loss by up to 3 dB, the MM6005 can save half the power which has a significant impact on overall system design. Additionally, a 1000x improvement in linearity brings significant benefits for multiband systems, resulting in reduced distortion for communication links over densely crowded bands.
| MM6005 Reconfigurable Filter (Ideal Switch) | Typical Pin Diode Solid State Switched Filter Bank |
| Frequency Range | 225 - 512 MHz, 7 channels | 225-512 MHz, 7 channels |
| CW Power Handling | 60 W | 60 W |
| Insertion Loss | 1.5 dB | 4 dB |
| Switching Time | <10 µs | <30 µs |
| Current Consumption | <1 mA | <250 mA |
| Size | 7.1 x 4.6 x 1.6 cm | 20 x 20 x 2 cm |
| Weight | 100 g | 1000 g |
The MM6005 takes advantage of the Ideal Switch's ultra-low parasitics, resulting in improved "on-state" and "off-state" operation. This enables the fabrication of high-Q tunable filter resonators which offer enhanced RF and thermal performance when compared to traditional technologies used in switched filter banks. The result is highly stable filter performance for operationally and environmentally demanding conditions that are typically experienced with tactical military communications systems.
Menlo Micro's breakthrough Ideal Switch™ technology eliminates the compromises and tradeoffs that need to be made when designing traditional switched filter banks using solid-state or electromechanical technologies. The MM6005 demonstrates how Menlo Micro can drastically improve the size, weight, and power (SWaP) performance of RF front ends - enabling new architectures and form factors for advanced wireless communications systems.
"The MM6005 is another example of how the performance of a switch can have enormous impact on the overall performance of mission-critical RF subsystems," said Menlo Micro co-founder and SVP Marketing Chris Giovanniello. "We're continuing to expand our design capabilities beyond just the switch, in order to bring these massive system level improvements more quickly to our customers. The MM6005 demonstrates how, with the Ideal Switch™, we are able to create designs which are otherwise not possible with traditional semiconductor technology. We are very excited to work with new customers to address their unique requirements."
Menlo Micro's design capability spans the range from DC to 50 GHz, from low-power to high-power(kW) implementations, and is well-positioned to address custom designs targeting high-performance specifications for both military and commercial applications.
Click here to learn more about the MM6005 filter.
