System Tests of Optimized (2nd Pass) Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) Integrated Circuit Radio Frequency (RF) Booster Designs for 425 MHz and Dual Band (425 and 900 MHz)

摘要

High-performance microwave and radio frequency integrated circuits are of interest to the Army. The radio frequency (RF) integrated circuit (RFIC) booster chip is intended to increase range between RF nodes for low-power wireless applications. The booster concept uses the excellent RF performance advantages of gallium arsenide (GaAs) and is easily inserted into systems based on commercial silicon (Si) RFIC transceivers to enhance their capabilities and improve size, weight, and power (SWAP). This report documents these system-level tests showing the performance enhancements possible by combining a simple custom GaAs RFIC design with wireless systems based on commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) transceivers.