Active Microwave Switch Matrix (9665)

Q-DOT proposes to develop an Active Microwave Switch Matrix for the Army's hardware-in-the-loop (HWIL) missile seeker test system. The 4 x 4 X-band switch matrix routes and combines signals at low levels of approximately 0 dBm, enabling each of the outputs to be rapidly programmed as an arbitrary combination of the inputs. IBM's SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) technology is used to create ultra-fast active switches capable of switching times of less than 50 ps. Gain, switching, combining and control functions are integrated to produce a complete switch matrix on a chip. The active switch provides ultra-fast switching with constant port impedances while reducing the size and component count of the switch matrix. Preliminary switch core circuit design simulations show that the switch core offers very fast switching time of the order of 30 ps. This short transition time substantially limits the spurious energy due to switching, resulting in exceptional switching spurious product rejection of -56 dBc. The Phase I Study indicates that this technology offers substantial performance improvements relative to existing passive switch approaches. In Phase II, the design of the integrated switch matrix chip will be performed. In Phase II Plus, the switch matrix prototypes will be fabricated and tested.