A Full-Array-Grid-Compatible Wideband Tx/Rx Multipack using Multifunctional Chips on GaN and SiGe

A next generation of RF sensor modules for multifunction AESA systems shall provide a combination of different operating modes, e.g. Radar, EW and Communications/Datalink within the same antenna frontend. Typical operating frequencies covering C-Band, X-Band and Ku-Band will require a bandwidth of > 10 GHz, here. As for the realisation of modern active electronically steered antennas (AESA) the Transmit/Receive (Tx/Rx) Modules have to match with geometry constraints a major challenge for these future multifunction RF sensor modules is given by the half-wavelength grid demand derived from the highest frequency with accordant need for grating lobe free Field of View. One key to overcome this geometry demand can be the reduction of the total MMIC chip area with a "high-level" integration of single chip based RF functions into new multifunctional MMICs realised in SiGe- and GaN-technology. Further channel width reduction can be achieved by realising Tx/Rx multipacks instead of single-channel Tx/Rx Modules.