SBIR Phase II: A 500 MHz Bandwidth, 256 Channel Correlator Chip for Radio Astronomy at Sub-Millimeter Wave Lengths

这个小企业创新研究二期项目将开发一种专用的相关集成电路，用于毫米波和亚毫米波射电天文观测中的相关光谱。相关芯片的实验室原型在第一阶段进行了开发、制造和测试，为第二阶段计划的更大的相关芯片的开发提供了关键的设计信息。该技术目标成功实现了1个28滞后，4个量化水平，相关器芯片被证明在660 MHz的最大带宽下工作。第二阶段的技术目标是设计、制造、测试和评估具有以下特性的新一代专用相关器芯片：a)至少500 MH~带宽，b)每个芯片共有~56个滞后，分为两个独立的相关器，每个相关器有128个滞后。C)四个量化级别，d)每个滞后一个32位积分计数器，e)每个滞后的四倍缓冲。为了达到这种前所未有的性能水平，所提出的相关芯片将采用创新的片上并行处理架构。在时钟频率为500mhz的情况下，通过结合：位收缩阵列、新型超高频CMOS数字电路和先进的0.5 um CMOS制造工艺，可以实现可靠的工作。该公司的商业计划是专注于研究、开发、营销、销售、技术支持和维护一系列最先进的相关芯片和光谱仪，应用于射电天文学、大气科学、移动电话频率分配。还有无线电频率监控。＊＊＊

*** 9801003 Timoc This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will develop a special-purpose correlator integrated circuit for correlation spectroscopy in radio-astronomy observations at millimeter and sub-millimeter wavelengths. A laboratory prototype of a correlator chip was developed, fabricated, and tested in Phase I to provide the critical design information for the development of a larger correlator chip planned for Phase II. The technical objectives were successfully achieved with a 1 28-lag, 4 quantization levels, correlator chip demonstrated to operate at maximum bandwidth of 660 MHz. The technical objectives of Phase II are to design, fabricate, test, and evaluate a new generation of special-purpose correlator chips with the following characteristics: a) a minimum of 500 MH~ bandwidths, b) a total of ~56 lags per chip partitioned in two independent correlators with 128 lags each. c) four quantization levels, d) a 32-bit integration counter per lag, and e) quadruple buffering for each lag. To reach this unprecedented level of performance, the proposed correlator chips will employ an innovative on-chip parallel processing architecture. Reliable operation at a clock frequency of 500 MHz will be achieved with a combination of: bit-systolic arrays, a novel family of hyper-frequency CMOS digital circuits, and an advanced 0.5 um CMOS fabrication process. The proposing firm's business plan is to focus on the research, development, marketing, selling, technical support, and maintenance of a family of state-of-the-art correlator chips and spectrometers with application in radio astronomy, atmospheric science, cellular phones frequency allocation. and radio-frequency surveillance. ***