3D Microfabricated Low Loss Reconfigurable Components

Typical communication satellites use traditional waveguide front-end architectures due to the excellent electrical performance and high reliability. While the systems offer excellent performance and reliability they are large and heavy due to incorporation of waveguide-based switches, diplexers, and waveguide packaged solid-state power amplifiers. Replacement of the waveguide components by micromachined parts that provide significant size, weight, and cost reduction without substantially affecting the electrical performance, can lead to a breakthrough in wireless communications. During the Phase I program, Nuvotronics utilized its proprietary PolyStrataTM metal micromachining process to create X and Ka band filters with state-of-the-art performance. During Phase II, tunable filters will be fabricated using the PolyStrata process and tuned using reliable and low actuation voltage MEMS devices. The filters will be designed and tested for space operation and have immediate applications in the Deep Space Network communications system. The PolyStrata process is capable of producing high Q, low weight and therefore compact filters. The PolyStrata process is a new multi-layer technology that creates high quality air loaded copper microdevices. High quality cavity resonator filters can be fabricated using this high precision micro-fabrication process, enabling very high Q filters while being compact, surface mountable and compatible with the integration of active chips.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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