Ultra-Wideband Power Amplifier System for Research on High-Power Phased-Array Antennas and Microwave
Abstract
ONR Program Manager: Dr. Kevin Leonard, ONR Code 312 (kevin.r.leonard@navy.mil).We propose to acquire an ultra-wideband, microwave p,ower amplifier system capable of operating in the frequency range of 0.7-18 GHz and providing a minimum, continuous-wave output pow,er level of 250 Watts. This system will support basic and applied research and research-related education in the areas of high-power, phased-array antennas and high-power radio-frequency (RF) and microwave systems. Such systems are used in a wide range of military,and civilian applications including electronic warfare, radar, high-throughput wireless communications, industrial heating, nuclear,fusion, medical imaging, and wireless power transfer. Development of phased-array antennas and RF/microwave systems that can operate, at high power levels presents a number of unique challenges. These challenges stem from semiconductor device and material breakdown, as well as material heating and thermal management issues. Addressing these challenges requires development of new and specialized,design techniques that must be verified experimentally under realistic operating conditions in a laboratory environment before they,can be employed in the real world. The acquisition of the proposed system will enable us to perform such experiments and expand our,basic and applied research and research-related educational capabilities in this area.In the short-term, the acquisition of the prop,osed system will directly support two existing Department of Defense (DoD) funded research projects in the area of high-power phased,-array antenna development for electronic warfare and military communications applications. The proposed power amplifier system will, be used to experimentally evaluate the validity and the efficacy of the design concepts under development in these projects. Additi,onally, the system will offer research-related educational opportunities to the students and researchers working on these DoD-sponso,red projects. In the long term, the proposed system acquisition will create new opportunities for conducting research in other resea,rch areas of importance to the DoD. Examples of the new research directions enabled by this system include: 1) Investigation of fail,ure mechanisms in high-power RF/microwave systems and developing techniques to improve the resiliency of such systems; 2) Fast predi,ction and experimental validation of electromagnetic coupling into complex enclosures; 3) Investigating the impact of waveform agili,ty on reducing the damage threshold of electronics systems; 4) Developing new electronic protection techniques; and 5) Investigating, new techniques to develop jamming-resilient, low-probability of intercept/detect communications, electronic warfare, and radar syst,ems. Therefore, in addition to an immediately positive impact on our current DoD-funded research projects, the acquisition of the pr,oposed equipment will have a long lasting positive impact on our ability to conduct future research and research-related education i,n areas of interest to DoD. The information in this abstract is approved for public release.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jul 08, 2022
- Source ID
- N000142212497
Entities
People
- Nader Behdad
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Wisconsin System