STTR Phase II: Micromachined components for wireless applications

该项目的更广泛的影响/商业化潜力包括可调块，这将允许一系列频谱和空间灵活的设备。这些可能包括高增益定向天线，可以提高性能，同时降低功耗。随着无线设备采用更复杂的波形，基本的MEMS变容管技术也为关键的效率和线性问题提供了解决方案。此外，该变容管中的基本开关元件满足了价值2亿美元的自动化测试设备（ATE）市场的重要市场需求。这项小型企业技术转移研究（STTR）第二阶段项目将开发基于微机电系统（MEMS）变容管技术的手机应用可调谐功率放大器。所提议的工作的成功完成将允许团队解决显著的市场需求，以减少智能电话和无线设备的成本和部件数量，以及自动化测试设备（ATE）所需的高带宽测试。所采用的方法包括优化MEMS变容管和将变容管集成到可调谐功率放大器中。提出的可调方法解决了当今无线设计中的高度冗余。在许多情况下，一个完整的前端和天线，为特定的频率硬连线，必须复制每个频段。所提出的方法可以调整单个通道以覆盖频谱，从而大大减少材料清单和占地面积。

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.