BAE Systems has developed a high bandwidth microwave transceiver platform that combines military-grade chips and multiple RF technologies into one system that can be reconfigured rapidly, even in harsh environments. Engineers in BAE's FAST Labs™ division developed MATRIC or Microwave Array Technology for Reconfigurable Integrated Circuits RF-FPGA Transceiver in collaboration with DARPA.
In the contested environments that U.S. armed forces face, circumstances change quickly. It is vital to have radio systems that can be easily reconfigured in the field or even automatically adapt on the fly. This innovative, powerful, and easily adaptable RF-FPGA platform is a high-performance radio frequency (RF) toolbox on a chip.
The MATRICs Transceiver offers more bandwidth and broader frequency coverage than commercially available chips and its next-generation multi-use design allows engineers to tackle future communications, EW, and signal intelligence demands now. This capability empowers engineers to develop custom RF systems significantly faster and at a lower cost than application-specific chips from commercial developers. Choosing the MATRICs Transceiver also lets them leverage DARPA's investment to accelerate their projects.
Key benefits of the MATRICs RF-FPGA Transceiver
- Size, weight, power, and cost advantages open up advanced transition opportunities
- Multifunctional radio frequency enables warfighters to switch between RF functional payloads without landing their platforms
- Mixed-signal technology supports simultaneous transmission and receiving
- Flexible software, coupled with built-in self-test and calibration with adjustable gain, allows quick, in-field reconfigurations
- Unique field-programmable configurability creates new applications in the multifunction microwave transceiver space
R&D capabilities of the BAE Systems MATRICs team:
- Miniaturizing RF components
- Reconfigurable and adaptable digital readout technologies
- Mixed signal system-on-a-chip
- Advanced RF filters
- Thermal management and advanced packaging
- Power amplifiers and front-end electronics
Key Performance Specifications of the MATRICs RF-FPGA Transceiver:
- Max frequency (Microwave block): 40 GHz
- Max frequency (RF/BB block): 10 GHz
- Instantaneous BWs: 10 MHz - 4 GHz
- Total gain (Microwave block): 0-15 dB
- Total gain (RF/BB block): 0-50 dB
- Noise figure (Microwave block): 7 dB
- Noise figure (Microwave block): 9 dB
- Noise figure (RF/BB block): 7-10 dB
- In-band IIP3 (Microwave block): 0 dBm
- In-band IIP3 (RF/BB block): 5-10 dBm
- Out-of-band IIP3 (RF/BB block): 10-25 dBm
- Out-of-band IIP2 (RF/BB block): 50 dBm
- Phase noise (1 kHz offset): -101 dBc/Hz
- Phase noise (100 kHz offset): -105 dBc/Hz
- Phase noise (40 MHz offset): -146 dBc/Hz
- CFG settling time: 2-5μs
- Frequency resolution: 1 kHz
- On-chip memory states: 16
- Radiation tolerance: 60 MeV-cm2/mg
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