Design and performance of octave S/C band MMIC T/R modules for multi-function phased arrays

A complex wideband transmit/receive module that achieves performance levels superior to any MMIC module is described. Peak performance within the octave 3.0 to 6.0 GHz band includes a power output of 21 W at S-band and 19 W at C-band, a noise figure of 3.9 to 5.0 dB, 30 to 38 dB of receive gain, 25 to 26 dBm output IP₃, 40 dB of gain control in 256 steps, dual receive channels with independent amplitude and phase control, and an 8-bit phase shifter with less than 1 degree calibrated RMS phase error. Total GaAs area is 146 mm² with 170 mm of total gate periphery. The module incorporates a compact digital interface, requires only three supply voltages, and utilizes advanced packaging techniques, resulting in a size compatible with a grating lobe free grid spacing