WEST CALDWELL, N.J., 15 May 2007. Communications and networking between unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and control bases require a broadband transmitter capable of supporting secure, error-free video and data links.
In support of these ruggedized transmitters, Merrimac Industries Inc. in West Caldwell, N.J. is offering a customizable power amplifier (parts source) module (PAM) based on the company's Multi-Mix multilayer circuit technology.
In contrast to traveling-wave-tube (TWT) power modules, the Multi-Mix PAM (related product) offers superior MTTF performance and the capability of maintaining reliable communications in high-vibration UAV/UGV environments, company officials say. The Multi-Mix PAM can be specified for operating bandwidths in excess of 40 GHz for wideband links and at power-output levels in excess of 100 Watts.
For small footprints, the customizable module is based on several circuit layers joined by a fusion-bonding process. In this manner, the circuit layers are joined with weld-like strength; the circuitry is in turn bonded to a bottom metal layer for effective heat dissipation.
Since these circuit layers exhibit good thermal conductivity, modules can be fabricated with embedded transistor die, rather than packaged devices, for compact UAV and UGV transmit amplifiers.
The Multi-Mix PAM (related product) can be built with a customer's preferred high-power device technology, including gallium arsenide (GaAs), gallium nitride (GaN), and silicon carbide (SiC) transistors.
For higher levels of integration, the Multi-Mix PAM technology also supports additional building-block functions, such as filters, mixers, and power combiners, on the same substrates as the amplifier circuitry.
For more information contact Merrimac Industries online at www.merrimacind.com.
