Microwave Integrated Core-Chips

Dear Colleagues,

Active electronically scanned antennas (AESAs) represent a technological breakthrough in terms of improved performance, reconfigurability and wideband capabilities, but have also improved reliability and ease of installation and reduced cost and weight, finding application in mobile communication (5G), space communication and radar systems.

AESA systems include a huge number of radiating elements, each one equipped with its own transmit/receive module (TRM), which must therefore be extremely compact and have low weight, low cost and high repeatability. This can be accomplished by reducing the number of MMICs in the TRM and hence by increasing their capabilities to perform different functions.

Core chips (CCs), also called multi-function chips (MFCs), are highly integrated MMICs that perform all the core functions of a TRM, and thus they allow the combination of phased array controls, switches and amplifiers on the same chip, possibly with embedded digital controls and interfaces.

The main challenge in developing compact and efficient core chips is combining a high level of integration with high yield and repeatability and, possibly, low cost.

Moreover, enabling digital/RF integration is also challenging from a technological standpoint, requiring MMIC processes capable of offering simultaneously high cut-off frequencies and thus good RF performance (up to Ka-band) and digital features, such as complementary transistors with efficient switching behavior. At present, depending on the most demanding aspect of a specific core chip, the preferred technology can be selected, and both Si-based and compound semiconductor technologies are still in the race.

This Special Issue will include technical papers covering all the various aspects of core-chip development, from enabling technologies to specific sub-components demonstrators and complete CC modules.

Dr. Chiara Ramella
Dr. Roberto Quaglia
Dr. Patrick Ettore Longhi
Guest Editors

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• core chip
• multi-function chip
• phased array controls
• integrated switches
• RF-CMOS
• GaAs
• GaN
• phase shifters
• variable attenuators
• variable gain amplifiers