An 8-bit 2-gigasample/second A/D converter multichip module for digital receiver demonstration on Navy AN/APS-145 E2-C airborne early warning aircraft radar

This paper will discuss multichip module technology as it is applied to a prototype high performance direct digitizing channelized radar receiver system under development for the Navy's E2-C Airborne Early Warning Aircraft, which encompasses both analog signals at UHF frequencies and multigigahertz digital signals. Critical issues which arise in the design of such a system will be discussed, including thermal management, transmission line design, design of power and ground distribution systems, and analyses of voltage standing wave ratio and simultaneous switching noise. This paper will describe in detail the simulations and analyses which were undertaken during the development of the multichip module containing the analog-to-digital converter and demultiplexer for this system. Finally, test results from measurements of analog-to-digital converter performance at the full operating clock rates of the multichip module will be described, along with lessons learned for the design of subsequent generations of these high performance mixed signal systems.