Simplifying Phased Array Radar Design for Aviation and Communications Equipment

Analog Devices announced the launch of its new ADAR1000 active antenna beamforming chip, which is easy to use and highly integrated.

This chip allows designers to quickly replace bulky, mechanically steerable antenna platforms used in phased array radar and communication systems with a compact, all-electronic semiconductor solution.

The ADAR1000 chip not only simplifies the design of phased array radar systems for defense, surveillance, air traffic control, communications, and weather observation, but also significantly reduces their size, weight, and power consumption. For airborne system designers, the ADAR1000 enables the implementation of flat-panel antenna arrays with significantly lower heights than conventional radar systems, enabling smaller and lighter aircraft designs.

The new ADAR1000 is plug-and-play, enabling designers with little or no RF experience to further improve the performance and operating life of their radar systems.

The ADAR1000, a four-channel active antenna beamforming chip, replaces 12 discrete components required for antenna phase, gain, and digital control. The IC supports time division duplexing (TDD) in the X-band and Ku-band. This chip has a built-in transmit/receive switch that is used to select a common port, allowing input data to be transmitted or output data to be received.

Each of the four transmit and receive channels can be independently configured for gain and phase. The ADAR1000 can be configured to directly control the pulses of all external transmit/receive modules with minimal external circuitry. All settings can be stored in built-in memory for quick access to gain and phase states and transmit/receive module settings. By providing scalable building blocks, the ADAR1000 enables designers to rapidly implement active antenna phased arrays for next-generation radar and communication systems without the need for design support from multiple external partners.

“ADI is combining the industry’s broadest RF portfolio with our design and packaging expertise to enable customers to quickly implement phased array antennas,” said John Cowles, general manager of Analog Devices’ RF and Microwave business. “Our new phased array products deliver the same powerful performance as traditional phased array solutions, but in a smaller and lighter form factor. They also enable a significant reduction in antenna thickness, expanding the potential applications of phased array technology.”