STTR Phase II: Micromachined components for wireless applications

该项目更广泛的影响/商业化潜力包括可调块，它将允许一系列频谱和空间灵活的设备。其中可能包括可在降低功耗的同时提高性能的高增益定向天线。随着无线设备采用更复杂的波形，基本的MEMS变容二极管技术还为关键的效率和线性问题提供了解决方案。此外，变容二极管中的基本开关元件满足了2亿美元自动测试设备(ATE)市场的巨大市场需求。该小型企业技术转移研究(STTR)第二阶段项目将基于使能的微电子机械系统(MEMS)变容二极管技术，为手机应用开发可调功率放大器。拟议工作的成功完成将使该团队能够满足降低智能手机和无线设备的成本和部件数量以及自动测试设备(ATE)所需的高带宽测试的重大市场需求。所采用的方法包括对MEMS变容二极管进行优化，并将其集成到可调功率放大器中。建议的可调方法解决了当今无线设计中的高度冗余问题。在许多情况下，必须为每个频段复制用于特定频率的完整前端和天线。建议的方法允许调谐单个通道以覆盖频谱，从而大幅减少材料成本和占地面积。

The broader impact/commercialization potential of this project include tunable blocks that would allow a range of spectrally- and spatially-agile devices. These may include high-gain directional antennas that can improve performance while reducing power consumption. The fundamental MEMS varactor technology also offers solutions for critical efficiency and linearity problems as wireless devices employ more complex waveforms. Furthermore, the fundamental switching element in the varactor addresses a significant market need in the $200+ million automated test equipment (ATE) market.This Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) Phase 2 project will develop tunable power amplifiers for handset applications based on an enabling microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) varactor technology. The successful completion of the proposed effort will allow the team to address significant market needs for reducing the cost and part count of smart phones and wireless devices, and high bandwidth testing needed for automated test equipment (ATE). The methods to be employed include optimizing the MEMS varactor and integrating the varactor into a tunable power amplifier. The proposed tunable approach addresses the high degree of redundancy in wireless designs today. In many cases, a complete front end and antenna, hardwired for a specific frequency, must be replicated for each band. The proposed approach enables tuning a single channel to cover the spectrum, drastically reducing the bill of material and footprints.