Ferrite-Based Frequency Selective Limiter and Signal-to-Noise Enhancer for Interference Protection and Prevention in UHF SATCOM
Navy SBIR FY2015.2


Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2015.2
Topic No.: N152-123
Topic Title: Ferrite-Based Frequency Selective Limiter and Signal-to-Noise Enhancer for Interference Protection and Prevention in UHF SATCOM
Proposal No.: N152-123-0103
Firm: Metamagnetics Inc.
480 Neponset Street
12B
Canton, Massachusetts 2021-1938
Contact: Scott Gillette
Phone: (781) 562-0756
Abstract: Increasing global RF electromagnetic (EM) activity related to commercial, scientific, and military systems, threatens the integrity of satellite communication links and has resulted in an environment cluttered with RF signals, particularly in the UHF-band. This is causing two major problems: 1) interference (due to co-site and jamming); and 2) increase in the EM noise floor. These effects can cause loss of information, reduce effective data transmission rate, and compromise system operability. Metamagnetics proposes the development of analog, low-cost, passive component solutions based on the unique non-linear properties of ferrite materials to address incoming interference threats and promote low-background-noise transmission of outgoing signals. Incoming signals will be safely received using a UHF-band frequency-selective limiter (FSL) and signal-to-noise enhancer (SNE). These combined technologies provide selective attenuation of co-site interference and jamming threats (via FSL), in addition to reducing the background EM noise floor (via SNE), while simultaneously allowing for friendly signals to pass unaffected. Outgoing signals will pass through a UHF-band SNE, before transmission, to purify the signal by attenuating unwanted spectral content. The proposed technology meets urgent Navy needs for mitigation of co-site interference and jamming threats, and addresses the rising background EM noise level, on increasingly-electromagnetically-cluttered satellite communication links.
Benefits: Metamagnetics� proposed UHF-band FSL and SNE technologies will protect against co-site interference and other high-amplitude RF/microwave threats, reduce the electromagnetic background noise floor, and also purify transmitted signals. These technologies have the following benefits: 1) Frequency-selective attenuation of above-threshold (co-site, jamming, high-power microwave) spectral content via FSL. 2) Frequency-selective attenuation of below-threshold (background noise) spectral content via SNE. 3) Simultaneous low-loss transmission of signals of interest. 4) Passive operation, no active tuning necessary, no power consumption. Demonstration of this technology will represent a major breakthrough, as no such devices have ever been demonstrated at UHF. A successful Phase I effort will prove feasibility for developing devices from as low as UHF band, through X-band (which Metamagnetics has already done) and therefore broaden the application space for this technology in GPS, telecommunications, mobile phone, and automotive markets.

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