COMMUNICATION SATELLITE OUTPUT DEVICES,
Abstract
A communication satellite operating at microwave frequencies is not constrained to the use of a vacuum tube for generating an output signal. Semiconductor devices are available with improved resistance to damage by charged particle flux, and semiconductor circuits are available whose performance is less influenced by temperature variation. Similarly, extremely light weight vacuum tubes have been developed which utilize heat transfer without fluid flow. In general, for communication satellite operations, either type of device must have a long operating life with high reliability at the lowest possible cost in system weight. The cost in system weight in this case includes the weights of the output stage, any high level driver stages which may be necessary, the associated voltage conversion and regulation equipment and the associated prime power or energy source. This paper concerns the relative ability of semiconductor devices, such as tunnel diodes, transistors, and varactor diodes and vacuum tube amplifiers such as triodes, klystrons, amplitrons and TWTs to generate signal power efficiently at frequencies of 1 to 10 kMc and power levels of 0.1 to 100 watts.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1965
- Accession Number
- AD0622418
Entities
People
- N. E. Feldman
Organizations
- RAND Corporation