W-band Airborne SATCOM Power Amplifier

ABSTRACT: Power amplifiers (PAs), providing high linearity and efficiency, are essential for transmission of high data rate bandwidth efficient digital signals. Achieving this objective at millimeter-wave (MMW) is particularly challenging. LTI with L-3 EDD are teaming to develop a PA for 81-86 GHz with a linear output power of 50 watts, a PAE of 30%, and a weight of 10 lbs. Linear performance is based on an ACPR<-30 dB with 12/4 QAM. A goal is to achieve this ACPR at 3 dB OPBO. The PA will use a 100 watt EDD W-band TWTA scaled down in frequency from 94 GHz and optimized for efficiency. LTI will provide the linearizer. LTI has experience producing MMW linearizers and has demonstrated an ACPR<-45 dB with 16QAM at 7 dB OPBO. Based on this result, an ACPR of 30 dB at 3 dB OPBO looks quite achievable. In Phase I, EDD will determine changes needed for 81-86 GHz operation of their TWTA, simulate its performance, and begin design of the EPC and housing. LTI will design and test the linearizer, with the goal of testing with EDD"s existing W-band TWTA. BENEFIT: This technology has value for space-borne and airborne platforms, as well as ground-based systems. This work will result in the first W-band MPM ever produced. It will also provide a key component in the production of compact, efficient, linear power amplifiers to meet the needs of SATCOM and related space-borne communications, and for which no alternative solution currently exists.