Robust and Reliable Receivers for the ITER ECE System

The ITER ECE Radiometer system is envisioned to cover the frequency range from about 200- 300GHz with a set of three high reliability receivers. Each receiver will use a fixed frequency local oscillator source and a very broad IF bandwidth. The primary technical challenges are achieving flat performance across the IF band and ensuring a level of reliability that will assure system performance during critical ITER experiments. The IF bandwidth and reliability requirements of ITER create technical requirements that have not yet been achieved. The primary goal of this SBIR project is to demonstrate and deliver to the ITER program an all-solidstate receiver system that achieves all of the primary technical requirements for the ITER ECE Radiometer system. The proposed solution uses three independent receiver systems to span the 100GHz bandwidth required for ITER. These receivers will be based on a VDI receiver that has already been developed for the Alcator C-MOD ECE Radiometer. The primary technical challenges for ITER are to achieve flat receiver performance across the planned 40GHz IF band, and to fundamentally improve the reliability of the complete receiver system. The improvements in reliability will begin with a thorough evaluation of the reliability of the present receiver technology. Each of the components will be thoroughly evaluated and upgraded to meet the ITER requirements. Also a higher level of integration will be used for key components and the system as a whole. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: The broadband and reliable receiver technology developed through this SBIR project will find applications spanning from basic science, through defense and security, industrial process control and medicine. Primary examples include radio-astronomy, chemical spectroscopy, atmospheric studies, plasma diagnostics for process control, short range and secure communications, the detection of chemical and biological threats and imaging systems. For example, passive imaging systems for portal security will benefit from the increased IF bandwidth. The broader IF bandwidth will also allow researchers developing short range communications links to achieve greater data rates. The increased reliability of the components and receiver systems will also be used in all of VDIs commercial products. For example, VDIs emerging commercial product line of frequency extenders for vector network analyzers and spectrum analyzers are a new tool for the development of improved devices, components and systems in the terahertz frequency range. The reliability improvements developed through this SBIR project will fundamentally improve the reliability and commercial viability of VDIs test and measurement products