21 January 2016

Anokiwave extends family of X-band quad core ICs for commercial AESAs

Anokiwave Inc of San Diego, CA, USA, a provider of highly integrated silicon core chips and III-V front-end integrated circuits for millimeter-wave (mmW) and active electronically scanned array (AESA) markets, has extended its family of X-band quad core ICs for commercial AESAs with two new ICs for single-beam Rx and Tx. The launch completes the family of X-band silicon radar quad core IC solutions for commercial radar and 5G communications markets.

Each IC architecture in the family includes an integrated 4-channel beam-former, low-noise amplifier (LNA) and power amplifier (PA) supporting four radiating elements. The ICs feature either a low noise figure or a high input linearity, and are further divided by dual-beam Rx/single-beam Tx or single-beam Rx/single-beam Tx. The AWS-0101 features a low noise figure, dual-beam Rx and single-beam Tx. The AWS-0103 features high input linearity, dual-beam Rx and single-beam Tx. The AWS-0104 is a single-beam Rx, single-beam Tx IC with low noise figure, and the AWS-0105 is a single-beam Rx, single-beam Tx IC with high input linearity.

The devices also include 6-bit phase and 6-bit gain control with either a low noise figure or high input linearity in Rx mode. Additional features include gain compensation over temperature, temperature reporting, forward power telemetry with programmable delay power sampling, and fast beam switching using on-chip beam weight storage registers that can be accessed via direct address lines. Silicon technology enables very high integration of functionality, enabling planar antenna design at X-band with reduced system size, weight and cost.

"Commercial AESAs are the future of radar and 5G systems; highly integrated silicon solutions will enable the market to transition from expensive traditional military AESA technology to a commercial arena that requires very low cost," says CEO Robert Donahue.

The X-band family of ICs comprises highly integrated TDD (time-division duplex) transmit-receive ICs in a commercial QFN-style surface-mount plastic package with dimensions of 7mm x 7mm x 0.9mm, easily fitting within the typical 15mm lattice spacing at 10GHz. The ICs are controlled though a 5-wire serial-to-parallel interface (SPI) bus.

Anokiwave offers innovator kits and evaluation kits to customers for early access to the technology. The kits include boards with the X-band IC, USB-SPI Interface module with drivers, and all required cables.  Pilot production deliveries are available now, with full production quantities available in June.

See related items:

Anokiwave launches silicon-based low-noise-figure X-band AESA core IC

Tags: Radar

Visit: www.anokiwave.com