SDR Colocated Agile Bandpass

To address the Navy"s need for improved, high-performance passband filters, Physical Optics Corporation (POC), in Phase I, developed new software-defined radio (SDR) Colocated Agile Bandpass/Bandstop (SCAB) Filters. These filters are based on lumped and distributed hybrid structures and innovative microstrip designs to cover a large bandwidth. Their innovation in filtering unwanted interference without significant effects on the noise factor will enable electronic warfare (EW) radios to communicate reliably, particularly in radio frequency (RF)-challenged combat environments. The bandstop SCAB will provide the ability to remove inband (sometimes intentional) interference impinging from high-power transmitters in communication channels. The bandpass SCAB will improve receiver selectivity by reducing the bandwidth of the receiver for higher noise/interference rejection. The technology represented by SCAB filters not only maintains spectral purity in EW systems, but also improves RF interoperability with other platforms. In Phase I, POC demonstrated the feasibility of the SCAB filter by simulating and fabricating a prototype. In Phase II, POC plans to advance the design, optimize it for testing with Navy personnel, and demonstrate that SCAB filters meet the requirements for insertion loss, volume, and power consumption, for reliable communication in an RF-challenged combat environment.