N093-200 TITLE: Higher Temperature Passive Components, Integrated Circuit Elements for Transmit/ Receive (T/R) Modules

TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Materials/Processes, Sensors

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: NON-ACAT X-Band and S-Band Radars and EW Arrays

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals, their country of origin, and what tasks each would accomplish in the statement of work in accordance with section 3.5.b.(7) of the solicitation.

OBJECTIVE: Develop thermally and environmentally robust passive components, integrated circuit elements that can operate without significant life degradation in the proximity of hot high power Wide Band Gap (WBG) amplifiers.

DESCRIPTION: WBG power amplifiers currently being designed into many emerging radar and EW electronically steered arrays have higher power dissipations and the resultant T/R modules have locally elevated temperature in the areas adjacent to the power devices. Passive circuit elements that support these hot components are required to be robust and capable of operating at elevated temperature levels without significant life degradation. This topic seeks to identify and develop thermally and environmentally robust passive components/integrated circuit elements that can operate in the proximity of high power WBG devices without life degradation. Metric for the passive/circuit element to be developed will be that it provides equivalent or improved electrical performance over its existing state of the Art Transmit/Receive(T/R) module equivalent while providing improved temperature robustness and/or size reduction (see references). These passives and circuit elements must also operate reliably over a Navy shipboard Phased Array Radar and EW Electronically Steered Arrays (ESAs) systems anticipated 20 year service life.

Passives/ integrated circuit elements of interest include:
- Higher temperature passives for MMICs
- Smaller inductors
- Improved (smaller, broader bandwidth, higher power handling) isolators for T/R modules
- Improved (smaller, lower noise figure, higher power handling) limiters for T/R modules

PHASE I: Perform the R&D needed to support the design and modeling process, and then conduct analyses of thermally and environmentally robust passive components, and integrated circuit elements meeting the intent of this topic.

PHASE II: Complete detailed R&D required to develop the manufacturing processes and build prototype test modules with the passive components, integrated circuit elements selected from Phase I. Evaluate stable MMIC/ T/R module electrical performance over anticipated operational temperature ranges and meet or exceed this topics stated objectives. Validate the new manufacturing processes and test developed hardware performance of the passive components, integrated circuit elements and/or interconnections. The technology must demonstrate that it can satisfactorily function in a T/R module assembly intended to be used in a Navy shipboard Phased Array Radar and EW system. In addition, conduct preliminary cost modeling to show that the technology is cost competitive with current State of the Art T/R module production processes.

PHASE III: Establish manufacturing processes and quality controls to provide production quality passive components, integrated circuit elements integrated into T/R modules of interest to IWS Radar and EW applications. Manufacture T/R modules to demonstrate final processes and conduct electrical and environmental performance testing of the contractor's technology. Conduct cost modeling to show that the developed technology is cost competitive with current State of the Art T/R module production processes.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: Elevated Temperature passive components, integrated circuit elements will have applications in many commercial industries as well as on numerous military systems.

REFERENCES:
1. "GaAs MMIC Reliability Assurance Guideline for Space Applications", S. Kayali, G. Ponchak, R.Shaw, JPL Publication 96-25.

2. Bahl, I., and P. Bhartia, Microwave Solid State Circuit Design, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1988.

3. Electronic Materials Handbook, Volume 1 Packaging,ASM International.

KEYWORDS: passive components; integrated circuit elements; T/R Module ; Radar ; EW ; Phased Array

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

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