RF/Wireless Microsystems

Over the last decade improvements in RF wireless technology has enabled lower cost and more capable systems.  Today cell phones and RF identification devices are used globally in large numbers. This large wireless marketplace provides many RF/wireless piece parts and subsystems that can be combined to meet new applications. In recent years Sandia has developed custom RF components and systems to further extend wireless capability for the unique demands of National Security. 

For additional information or questions, please email us at Integrated RF Systems

Examples:

• Communication

  Passive unique signal wake-up circuit -- A microcircuit that waits using no (or very little) energy until a long unique signal is received. Energy gathered from this long signal (process gain) is concentrated to “throw” a switch connecting a stand-by battery to a main circuit.

  Low Power correlators Surface Acoustic Wave device wireless communication channels -- BPSK Ultra-wide band communication using SAW correlators and pulse generators.

  Real time spectrum analyzer – low power, small, hand carried spectrum analyzer that can monitor many channels in real-time. Quick reacting so it is possible to monitor non-conventional frequency hopping transmissions.

• Passive wireless sensor / RFID / Tags
  

  Passive sensors interrogated by 1 mW “radar guns” give 8-bit accuracy at 10 m with omni-directional antennas. These sensors are often used to instrument a complex system after deployment when it is difficult to tap into power and data buses but the need for more monitoring has become apparent.

  SAW device in package.

Environmentally robust beacons or RFIDs responding to unique interrogation signals or generating signals only detectable by a matched receiver.

• RF Components use for RF System Miniaturization

• SAW ladders -- single crystal chips with 16 or more SAW filters spanning a band at 30 MHz intervals.
• RF power dividers – SiGe IC that accepts broad band RF input and supplies N identical outputs (N=4 or 8)
  
  

  SiGe RFIC

  
  
• Passive RF detectors – Pyroelectric microdetectors that produce a DC output proportional to the RF power in a burst. Large dynamic range. No need to expend power while waiting for signal.
• Power efficient LNA and RF power amps—Low noise Amps operating over large bands (8 – 16 GHz) using only 2 mW. RF power amps at 80% efficiency.
  
  

  High efficiency LNA from GaAs

  
  
• Small volume RF filters – use of photo defined polymer and copper thin films to produce filter within substrates at 5% the discrete filter volume
• Low power MEMs switches and resonators