At IMS 2016, Peregrine Semiconductor introduced the UltraCMOS PE19601, a monolithic phase and amplitude controller (MPAC) solution for beamforming. This new MPAC-Beamforming device covers a frequency range from 8 to 12 GHz, and expands their MPAC product family in to higher frequencies. This device has been designed for X-band radar applications including active electronically scanned array (AESA) weather, air-traffic control and military radars.
The PE19601 shows that RF SOI can be used to deliver a high-performing, reliable and integrated solution at high frequencies. Their MPAC product family showcases the intelligent integration capabilities of UltraCMOS technology. Intelligent integration is the seamless integration of RF, digital and analog components on a single chip. This MPAC - Beamforming solution integrates a digital step attenuator, a phase shifter, RX/TX switching and a digital serial interface on a monolithic die. Through intelligent integration, it seamlessly combines RF and analog processing with digital programmability to deliver the flexibility to tune gain and phase at fine resolution.
Peregrine's UltraCMOS technology platform also offers high reliability, repeatability and industry-leading linearity. High linearity is critical to enabling high-dynamic range, high-sensitivity radar. High-dynamic range is the radar’s ability to receive a wide range of signal strengths and levels. This means the radar can be more accurate because it can detect weaker return signals. High linearity improves the sensitivity of the radar and enables the radar to better detect small objects in cluttered environments.
Ideal for high density, compact arrays, the PE19601 delivers the fine resolution and degree of control that is critical for radar applications. Radar's intelligent arrays can be optimized through increased accuracy and resolution. This performance optimization can occur within the fundamental beam pattern or by reducing unwanted interferers. When the phase accuracy and resolution of the array is low, the directionality of the beam is also low. Increasing the phase accuracy and resolution improves the directionality and the ability to focus the signal. Further fine-tuning the phase relationships of all the elements in an array can create nulling effects. These nulling effects can be leveraged to mitigate effects of interferers and help reduce the level of interference generated. It allows for the precise and fine control of a beam’s key characteristics.
The PE19601 is an X-band MPAC - Beamforming device that covers a frequency range from 8 to 12 GHz and has an extended frequency range of 6 to 14 GHz. Offered as a bare wirebond die, this device has a high linearity of greater than 40 dBm IIP3 and high isolation of 50 dB. It can handle up to 17 dBm of power and consumes very little power. This MPAC contains a 6-bit digital step attenuator (DSA), a 6-bit or 10-bit digital phase shifter (DPS), RX/TX switching and a digital serial interface. The DSA covers a 31.5 dB attenuation range in a 0.5 dB step with a low RMS amplitude error of 0.2 dB. The phase shifter has a 360-degree phase range with a very fine resolution of 5 degrees and RMS phase error of 2 degrees. It maintains high attenuation and phase accuracy over frequency and temperature.
Samples and evaluation kits with software are available now. Volume production units will be available in the summer of 2016. Offered as a 2.6 x 4.65 mm die, the PE19601 is $39.60 each for 1k-quantity orders and $32.12 each for 5k-quantity orders.
