Daico Industries has developed a solid-state high- power amplifier (HPA) for P-Band radar systems, which is scalable to other bands and applications. The CTX09651 delivers 30 kW peak pulsed power and 40 percent power-added efficiency (typical) from 850 to 942 MHz, transmitting pulse widths to 64 µs up to 5 percent duty cycle. Pulse rise and fall times are less than 800 ns, pulse droop no greater than 0.25 dB and phase variation during a pulse no greater than 6 degrees.
The HPA combines seven, 4.2 kW solid-state HPAs using Daico’s patented (m+n)ART™ architecture. With hot swap capability, if the CTX09651’s control system detects a failure in one of the seven, it substitutes an eighth HPA to maintain uninterrupted operation. If more than one HPA fails, the multiple amplifier design exhibits graceful degradation. The CTX09651 will not fail with a short or open on the output and, using LDMOS and GaN transistors, achieves 80,000 hours mean time between critical failure.
Spurious signals from the CTX09651 are no greater than –60 dBc from 962 to 1212 MHz, and harmonics are no greater than –30 dBc (second) and –40 dBc (third). The RF input and output connectors are TNC and 7/16 DIN, respectively, with an RS-485 interface for digital control and monitoring. The HPA weighs 175 lb and measures 12.2 in. x 18.4 in. x 12.2 in., achieving a power density of nearly 20 kW/ft3.
Daico’s solid-state designs outperform klystron and other TWT amplifiers, a result of the (m+n)ART design approach, which is flexible, maintainable and scalable for other bands and power levels. Daico’s HPAs meet the requirements of mission-critical applications.
Daico Industries Inc.
Carson, Calif.
www.daico.com