The 30-GHz monolithic receive module

Key requirements for a 30 GHz GaAs monolithic receive module for spaceborne communication antenna feed array applications include an overall receive module noise figure of 5 dB, a 30 dB RF to IF gain with six levels of intermediate gain control, a five-bit phase shifter, and a maximum power consumption of 250 mW. The RF designs for each of the four submodules (low noise amplifier, some gain control, phase shifter, and RF to IF sub-module) are presented. Except for the phase shifter, high frequency, low noise FETs with sub-half micron gate lengths are employed in the submodules. For the gain control, a two stage dual gate FET amplifier is used. The phase shifter is of the passive switched line type and consists of 5-bits. It uses relatively large gate width FETs (with zero drain to source bias) as the switching elements. A 20 GHz local oscillator buffer amplifier, a FET compatible balanced mixer, and a 5-8 GHz IF amplifier constitute the RF/IF sub-module. Phase shifter fabrication using ion implantation and a self-aligned gate technique is described. Preliminary RF results obtained on such phase shifters are included

Critical thermodynamics of two-dimensional N-vector cubic model in the five-loop approximation

The critical behavior of the two-dimensional N-vector cubic model is studied within the field-theoretical renormalization-group (RG) approach. The beta-functions and critical exponents are calculated in the five-loop approximation, RG series obtained are resummed using Pade-Borel-Leroy and conformal mapping techniques. It is found that for N = 2 the continuous line of fixed points is well reproduced by the resummed RG series and an account for the five-loop terms makes the lines of zeros of both beta-functions closer to each another. For N > 2 the five-loop contributions are shown to shift the cubic fixed point, given by the four-loop approximation, towards the Ising fixed point. This confirms the idea that the existence of the cubic fixed point in two dimensions under N > 2 is an artifact of the perturbative analysis. In the case N = 0 the results obtained are compatible with the conclusion that the impure critical behavior is controlled by the Ising fixed point.Comment: 18 pages, 4 figure

Compact objects in conformal nonlinear electrodynamics

In this paper we consider a special case of vacuum non-linear electrodynamics with a stress-energy tensor conformal to the Maxwell theory. Distinctive features of this model are: the absence of dimensional parameter for non-linearity description and a very simple form of the dominant energy condition, which can be easily verified in an arbitrary pseudo-riemannian space-time with the consequent constrains on the model parameters. In this paper we analyse some properties of astrophysical compact objects coupled to conformal vacuum non-linear electrodynamics

A 30 GHz monolithic receive module technology assessment

This report is a technology assessment relevant to the 30 GHz Monolithic Receive Module development. It is based on results obtained on the present NASA Contract (NAS3-23356) as well as on information gathered from literature and other industry sources. To date the on-going Honeywell program has concentrated on demonstrating the so-called interconnected receive module which consists of four monolithic chips - the low noise front-end amplifier (LNA), the five bit phase shifter (PS), the gain control amplifier (GC), and the RF to IF downconverter (RF/IF). Results on all four individual chips have been obtained and interconnection of the first three functions has been accomplished. Future work on this contract is aimed at a higher level of integration, i.e., integration of the first three functions (LNA + PS + GC) on a single GaAs chip. The report presents the status of this technology and projections of its future directions