Enhanced Real-Time Components for HWIL Ladar Scene Generation

Two critical components of LADAR projector technology that require extensive development to make feasible are the Arbitrary Waveform Generators (AWG) and the Level Shifting Amplifiers (LSA). Signals of 2 GHz bandwidth and at least 60dB dynamic range will be required. The LSA will need to take in signals as small as 500mV and amplify them to 7V without distortion or noise reducing the dynamic range. In order to reduce risk of project failure and to enhance commercial viability, the AWS will require a flexible digital architecture, such as an embedded FPGA. Euvis has extensive experience with the necessary technologies to research and develop the critical electrical components. Euvis has developed analog and mixed signal product lines in SiGe BiCMOS and InGaAs/GaAs HBT technologies. Our main products include Digital to Analog Converters (DAC), Multiplexer integrated DACs (MuxDACs), Direct Digital Synthesizers (DDS), and Laser Modulator Drivers. Our DACs and DDS's have been demonstrated with sample rates higher than 2 GHz and spur free dynamic range greater then 60 dB within the Nyquist band. Euvis proposes for phase I of this topic to research the feasibility of developing the AWG and LSA components based on our existing products and technologies.