Low-Cost, High-Power Transmit/Receive Modules for X-band Radars

In this STTR Phase I project Vega Wave Systems, Inc. will develop and demonstrate III-V native-oxide defined InGaP-GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) for integrated X-band radar transmit/receive modules. The Phase I objective is to leverage prior demonstrations of III-V native oxide defined HBTs in order to achieve high device performance for both power amplifier (PA) and low-noise amplifier (LNA) X-band radar applications in a common heterostructure. The design is expected to result in a new approach capable of achieving high performance in an inherently low-cost device process. Prototype oxide-defined InGaP heterojunction bipolar transistors will be designed, fabricated and delivered in Phase I that have been optimized for LNA and PA applications. The devices will be characterized and modeling parameters will be extracted from the characterization results. Preliminary low noise amplifier and power amplifier designs will be evaluated using the models obtained for the transistors. In Phase II the technology will be optimized for performance, extended to higher levels of integration, and applied to monolithically-integrated transmit/receive module designs.