XCOM 2012 News
2012 - XCOM WINS PHASE SHIFTER PROGRAM
Signal Hill, CA, 10 January 2012 - XCOM Wireless, Inc. (XCOM), an award-winning developer of radio frequency (RF) products, announces that it has won a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program with the Air Force to develop RF MEMS-enabled Ka-band phase shifters. These micromechanical (MEMS) parts are designed for performance-critical applications enabling a fully-passive front end for a phased array antenna.
"This application is perfect," remarks Dan Hyman, XCOM's CEO, "because MEMS have low loss and high ruggedness where other technologies fall short." The system is for small unmanned air vehicle adaptive communications antennas that consume low power and can survive harsh environments. Phased array antennas are typically large, costly, power-hungry subsystems only used on manned aircraft, ships, and other high-asset platforms. Dr. Hyman summarizes: "This program is another critical step towards the ultra-low cost phased arrays that everyone has been searching for." Sampling of phase shifters are expected to begin in 2013, with system-level qualification taking "many months, to ensure no failure mode is left unchecked."
Many Government phased array systems require high levels of tolerance for radiation, electromagnetic pulses, and other environmental hazards that may be encountered in use. "MEMS are uniquely resilient to many Bad Things that knock SiGe and III-V (semiconductor) materials out of action," Dr. Hyman remarks, "There are insertion points where you want and need the kind of reliability MEMS provide." He continues with a discussion that this is a reversal from five years ago, when MEMS reliability was still in question by the majority of customers. "It has never been an issue of 'if', but of 'when' and 'how much'. When is now, but the 'how much' of final antenna cost and proliferation remains to be seen."
About RF MEMS Relays
High performance, small footprint, and rugged packaging makes XCOM's RF MEMS Relays ideal for a diverse set of applications requiring low loss, high isolation, and high bandwidth. Applications include switching in ATE and RF test equipment; and tunable filters, antennas, and matching networks for radios, infrastructure, and radar systems. For information and samples, contact sales@xcomwireless.com. Export restrictions on certain products apply.About XCOM Wireless
XCOM develops revolutionary products based on their world-class expertise in Radio-Frequency, MicroElectroMechanical Systems (RF MEMS) that enable a new generation of test equipment and radio architectures. XCOM is a privately held company, formed in 2000 and headquartered in Signal Hill, CA. For partnership, investment, or corporate information, please contact: Daniel Hyman, President, at (562) 981-0077 x12 or dhyman@xcomwireless.com.Copyright 2012, XCOM Wireless, Inc. All rights reserved.