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

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*** 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. ***