High PAE 100W W-Band GaN SSPA for Planetary Sensing

QuinStar Technology proposes to develop a compact, high-efficiency, lightweight, high-power (>100W) GaN Solid State Power Amplifier (SSPA) with High-PAE 4W PA MMICs operating at 92.5~95.5GHz for space and airborne applications such as remote sensing radar and planetary science missions. QuinStar plans to meet the goals of this program by employing an optimal combination of advanced solid-state Microwave Monolithic Integrated Circuits (MMIC) GaN-on-SiC device technology, unique power-combining techniques, and innovative packaging technologies with a special emphasis on SWaP-C, rad-hard, thermal, and mechanical robustness. We propose to use/design 4 W GaN MMICs to build up the power-combining scheme. Based on this assumption, we will use a two-tier power combing design, 1x16 MMIC drives 2x or 4x 16-way radial combined MMICs to reach 100W and 200W, respectively. We proposed to use class-EF 2nd and 3rd harmonic control through quarter wave microstrip series and shunt stub for high efficiency. The MMIC uses 12V drain voltage to alleviate the junction temperature with a modular distributed PA puck. Each puck seats directly on a heat sink to keep its temperature cool, resulting in a high-efficiency, scalable, and compact SSPA flight unit.

High-power, compact, reliable, and affordable power amplifiers operating in W-band (92-96 GHz) are critical to realizing transmitters for many NASA missions and other significant applications for remote sensing and planetary science missions. QuinStar Technology proposes a novel approach for a family of SSPA that will exceed the performance and operational requirements. The proposed approach is based on an optimal combination of unique techniques for highly efficient and yet robust power combining, circuit integration, and innovative packaging methods. This also leads to affordable products suitable for space, airborne as well as terrestrial applications. Key features of the proposed implementation are scalability of output power by power combining, and power gain through cascade of Power Pucks, compact, lightweight, flexible architecture and high reliability with very significant potential for performance improvement and price reduction as MMIC device technology advances such as substrate reuse, and wafer size increase. The initial objective of the proposed effort is to achieve greater than 100 watts of power output at 94 +/-1.5 GHz at greater than 20% duty cycle and with 30 dB or more gain. Phase I work will focus on innovative, robust designs for power combining, packaging, and selecting devices/materials. The Phase I effort will lead to a producible and scalable design baseline that will be used in Phase II for manufacturing deployable products. Many diverse applications of high-power SSPA for W-band transmitters are found in the non-NASA environment, ranging from Helicopter Collision Warning and Brownout Degraded Vision sensors to industrial and military surveillance and security sensors. In addition, airborne and ground-based environmental monitoring instruments would greatly benefit from affordable, lightweight, compact power amplifiers at 92-96 GHz. Northrop Grumman, Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC), Qorvo, etc. are actively interested in the high-efficiency 4W W-band MMIC PA, SSPA and power combiners. Some of the governmental agencies involved in this work are NavAir, , the Department of Commerce, the Department of Energy, Federal Aviation Administration, NOAA, and Department of Defense, to name a few. Measurement and monitoring of clear air turbulence (CAT), severe weather, and clouds would significantly gain from the development of a cost-effective high-power SSPA. Future aircraft landing systems (electronic enhanced vision systems) envision the use of SSPA in their transmitters. Space-based cloud profiling radars are envisaged for deployment in low-earth orbits by many space agencies worldwide. A space-qualified W-band SSPA will significantly increase the economic viability and mission success of these future programs. Security and Surveillance-related applications will also benefit from the use of high-power SSPAs.

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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