Microscale Power Conversion (MPC)
Abstract
Today's power amplifiers utilize large, bulky, independently designed fixed voltage power supplies that fundamentally limit RF system output power, power efficiency and potential for integration. The Microscale Power Conversion (MPC) program developed X-band RF transmitters as system-in-package modules, in which integrated circuit power amplifiers were integrated with dynamic, variable voltage power supplies using high-speed power switches. Such an integrated microsystem supports military applications requiring several hundred Megahertz (MHz) of RF envelope bandwidth at large peak-to-average power ratios. This integration approach realized RF systems with significantly higher overall power efficiency and waveform diversity by changing from fixed power supply architecture to dynamic power supply architecture. The program was structured in two technical tracks. The first track developed high-speed power switch technology to be used in the design of dynamic power supply and modulator circuits. The second track developed the simultaneous co-design and integration of the RF power amplifier and dynamic power supply circuits to achieve maximum overall power efficiency for the desired waveforms of interest. The program enabled increased deployment of MPC RF transmitter systems on DoD platforms due to their more compact size, high efficiency, lower lifecycle cost and enhanced RF performance enabling, for example, significantly communications rates.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Accomplishment
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2016
- Source ID
- 765e8a03dd405e1ecff6b674f5175f00
Related Documents
- Root: ELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY