Unique Modular, High Power, Cascadable Amplifier for support of EMP Direct Drive Testing

The objective of this proposed Phase II project is to further investigate and develop the amplifier design concepts and technologies to build a wideband (six decades), high-power, modular, cascadable amplifier system that meets the requirements for driving a- -dynamic load (varying from zero to infinite impedance), to support Direct Drive testing for MIL-STD-3023. This new design will allow the amplifier to operate at full power, over the full bandwidth of interest (10 kHz-2 GHz), while driving non-optimum VSWR due to changing impedances from the Unit Under Test (UUT), and without damage or amplifier shutdown. During the Phase I effort, an amplifier topology was selected and verified to be the only viable approach to the VSWR requirement. Device-specific test fixtures were fabricated to measure device performance in the application. Suitable drive-line topologies were designed, constructed and tested to verify the drive-line performance could be realized. Very wide-bandwidth Power Combiners were reviewed, evaluated to verify that such RF combiners are suitable for the application. The Phase I research results indicate the chosen amplifier topology is a viable approach to meeting the requirements of the Product Specification through a Phase II effort. The Phase II effort is anticipated to produce several, commercially-viable products.