Distributed & Flex based Spatially Combined MHEMT Power Amplifiers for Satellite Communications (2007016)

Communications via satellites provide critical links to rapidly moving ground troops. Their RF terminals for such communication systems must be light and efficient and consume little prime power. To satisfy the necessary RF output power characteristics, we will combine outputs of several power amplifiers. The critical parameter is the combining efficiency to minimize the loss in the combining structure. The proposed dish-shaped spatial combining techniques introduce little circuit loss, and are therefore deemed superior. The proposed Phase II effort will focus on implementation of the design concept analyzed in Phase I including fabrication of power amplifier MMICs and construction and demonstration of a very small power dish combining structure made of patch antennas propagating into a waveguide structure.