ESA Open Invitation To Tender AO8479
Open Date: 21/10/2015
Closing Date: 02/12/2015

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 15.1ET.16
Prog. Ref.: TRP
Budget Ref.: E/0901-01 – TRP
Special Prov.: BE+DK+FR+DE+IT+NL+ES+SE+CH+GB+IE+AT+NO+FI+PT+GR+LU+CZ+RO+PL
Tender Type: C
Price Range: 200-500 KEURO
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate of Technical & Quality Manag
Department: Electrical Engineering Department
Division: RF Payload Systems Division
Contract Officer: Casini, Gian Lorenzo
Last Update Date: 21/10/2015
Update Reason: Tender issue

Generating local oscillator (LO) at frequencies beyond 100 GHz is a challenge in many Earth Observation missions. This usually realised with a relatively low frequency LO generation followed by a number of multipliers, ending up in a rather narrow-band operation and pretty inefficient RF power conversion. Furthermore, the LO has to be implemented very close to the receiver since cable losses are high at those frequencies, not to mention multi-pixel instrument that require the distribution of the LO to multiple heterodyne receivers. Microwave Photonics offers the possibility of a direct high frequency generation, with easy distribution via fibre, as demonstrated in the activity 102-05ET – Microwave Photonics Millimetre-wave Generation – of the TRP 2007-2010 workplan. However, the main limiting factor of the experiment was the low output RF power of the photodetector which is proposed to be addressed in this activity. In a first phase, the state of the art of high power, high-speed photodetectors shall be reviewed. From this, some preliminary structures aiming at frequency generation of 100 GHz and beyond, shall be proposed and analysed via simulations. In a second phase, the detailed design of the most promising structure shall take place and a set of devices shall be realised. This devices shall betested into a breadboard of a LO operating at frequencies beyond 100 GHz. Procurement Policy: C(1) = Activity restricted to non-prime contractors (incl. SMEs). For additional information please go to EMITS news “Industrial Policy measures for non-primes, SMEs and R&D entities in ESA programmes”.

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