In the commercial sector and non-commercial Military sector, an ADC that directly samples and converts Microwave signals (post LNA) to digital for all-digital processing is in high demand. Many IC vendors strive to minimize the analog RF front end and reduce as much complexity in the analog domain to increased complexity in the digital domain. Since our design is based on deep sub micron technology nodes, potential customers who license Micro-RDC's Delta Sigma Modulation IP can design all inclusive RF digital Radios within Systems on a Chip achieving near complete elimination of the analog RF components. This will have a huge impact on the cellular market, WiFi and WiMax market. In particular, since we are targeting the S-Band Microwave systems, the ADC can be used for direct conversion of the popular 2.4 GHz WiFi bands and many cellular bands to digital. This design will enable single chip solutions to those markets. The fact that designs are all digital and in many cases eliminate complex calibration requirements in manufacturing, in addition to eliminating low yield issues in analog IC's, will drive down the cost of communication devices and equipment.
The GHz sampling rate, high bandwidth, and high resolution radiation hardened Delta Sigma modulation ADC's implemented on a CMOS technology node (90nm, 65nm, or 45nm) paves the way for the elimination of RF analog front end circuits in S-band Microwave digital communication transceivers. In addition the ADC and DAC can be used in direct conversion of signals in Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar, Advanced Interferometer for Surface monitoring, ice topography, and hydrology. Digital beam forming (DBF) systems require an array of ADCs. According to NASA the requirements are 1.5 GHz band width and an ENOB of 12 bits. The power requirement is 100 mW. The Delta Sigma Modulation ADC proposed in Phase I and completed in Phase II exceeds these requirements. Since the proposed Micro-RDC ADC will be designed with Micro-RDC's RHBD cell library (90nm or 65nm) we hope to meet the requirements for harsh radiation environments (the Europa Jupiter System Mission anticipates > 3 MRad(Si) total ionizing dose (TID) ).
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