Components for High Performance Nanosatellites

The overall goal of the proposed two-phase SBIR project is to develop a low-cost, reliable, miniaturized RF component suitable for nanosatellites, in order for them to achieve functionality similar to larger spacecrafts. EMAG Technologies proposes todevelop a novel multi-chip module (MCM) technology based on revolutionary concepts in packaging and integration that will reduce the RF communication package size and volume by two orders of magnitude. We will demonstrate these new technologies by buildingand characterizing a Ka-band steerable sub-array. The proposed transmit module will be fabricated on high resistivity silicon wafers using mature micromachining technologies which can produce: multilayer interconnects, on-wafer packaged RF MEMS, phaseshifters, monolithically integrated passive elements, cavity filters, and photonic band-gap substrates for parasitic resonance reduction. All these architectures can be integrated on a single chip thus forming miniaturized multi-chip modules with highperformance and functionality. The proposed work will be based on our extensive completed work on three-dimensional integration and silicon micromachining for RF applications which resulted in 3D RF transitions, filters, low-loss interconnects,distribution networks for arrays, on-wafer packaged RF MEMS and photonic band-gap silicon substrates for operation up to W-band.