Direct digital synthesis for enabling next generation RF systems

Technology advances in HBT (heterojunction bipolar transistor) circuit complexity and device performance are enabling a new generation of circuits for direct synthesis of waveforms in the microwave and sub-mm-wave regions. This improvement in performance will provide the core technology for a new generation of wideband digital systems to support a broad range of defense and commercial applications ranging from software radio, digital communications and advanced RF sensors. Recent results have produced circuits with demonstrated clock rate above 15 GHz with ultimate performance supporting clock rates in excess of 32 GHz.