Title: Status of Advanced W-Band Gallium Nitride (GaN) Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits (MMICs) For Cloud Doppler Radar
Presenting Author: Andy Fung
Organization:Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
Co-Author(s): Lorene Samoska, Pekka Kangaslahti and Greg Sadowy - Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology; Andrew Brown, Shane O’Connor and Darin Gritters - Raytheon

Abstract:
MMICs are ideal for implementing arrays due to their economical production cost and small form factor. We will present our recent efforts on developing new W-Band (75-110 GHz) Gallium Nitride MMIC power amplifiers, driver amplifiers and low noise amplifiers for cloud Doppler radar in support of the Aerosol/Cloud/Ecosystem Mission and other future concepts under the Advanced Component Technology The Decadal Survey for Earth Science has recommended a multi-frequency Doppler radar capable of advancing next generation data acquisition of atmospheric phenomenas. A radar, with W-band capability at the 94 GHz atmospheric window along with other lower frequency radar will enable new data to be retrieved for characterizing the behavior of clouds and atmospheric constituents. To characterize these fast dynamic processes in a large volume of atmosphere, radar arrays are crucial for enabling the necessary measurement rates to construct 3D models. To implement these radar arrays, MMICs are required for providing the microwave power amplifiers, driver amplifiers and low noise amplifiers for the radar transceiver arrays.

MMICs are ideal for implementing arrays due to their economical production cost and small form factor. We will present our recent efforts on developing new W-Band (75-110 GHz) Gallium Nitride MMIC power amplifiers, driver amplifiers and low noise amplifiers for cloud Doppler radar in support of the Aerosol/Cloud/Ecosystem Mission and other future concepts under the Advanced Component Technology program.