Endwave Corp., a provider of high frequency RF modules for telecommunications networks, defense electronics and homeland security systems, has announced the release of two custom-designed millimeter-wave receiver modules for radiometer applications.
Two downconverter models have been custom-designed to operate at K-band (20 to 40 GHz) and V-band (50 to 75 GHz). Gain calibration is accomplished using an internal K- or V-band noise source, a noise injection coupler and a precision temperature sensor.
Using a +2.0 dBm Ku-band local oscillator (LO) input to each module, both units employ a sub-harmonic mixer topology to down-convert from the millimeter-wave input frequency to an IF output under 1 GHz, providing 30 dB of nominal gain to the input signal.
The V-band module utilizes an additional diode-based frequency doubler on the LO input, allowing a common local oscillator to drive both modules. Overall, the receiver noise figure is under 4 dB for the K-band model and under 6 dB for the V-band receiver.
Market applications include comprehensive real-time atmosphere profiling for airport air traffic control, severe weather forecasting in support of emergency population evacuations, and homeland security atmospheric sensing.
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