ESA Open Invitation to Tender AO9512
Open Date: 13/07/2018
Closing Date: 02/10/2018 13:00:00

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 18.1ET.14
Prog. Ref.: Technology Developme
Budget Ref.: E/0901-01 – Technology Developme
Special Prov.: BE+DK+FR+DE+IT+NL+ES+SE+CH+GB+IE+AT+NO+FI+PT+GR+LU+CZ+RO+PL+EE+HU
Tender Type: C
Price Range: 200-500 KEURO
Products: Satellites & Probes / RF / Microwave Communication (Platform and Payloads) / Antennas – BB / Other
Techology Domains: Electromagnetic Technologies and Techniques / Antennas / Millimetre-Wave and Sub-Millimetre-Wave Antenna Front-Ends
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate of Tech, Eng. & Quality
Department: Electrical Engineering Department
Division: RF Payloads & Technology Division
Contract Officer: Ferreol, Audrey
Industrial Policy Measure: C3 – Activities restricted to SMEs & R&D organisations, prefe…
Last Update Date: 13/07/2018
Update Reason: Tender issue

The supra-THz (>3 THz) bands have been recently proposed for low Earth orbit THz remote sounding missions such as LOCUS (Low-Cost Upper-atmosphere Sounder). In order to achieve coherent detection, heterodyne receivers at supra-THz frequencies are under development by integrating in a single waveguide cavity a Schottky based mixers fed by a Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) as Local Oscillator (LO).Thanks to the QCL, enough LO power is available to drive the mixer.Currently, a simple combination of passive thermal and electrical bias control is proposed for the frequency stabilization of the QCL. In order to achieve the frequency stability that would allowmeeting the scientific requirements, phased lock loop systems such as the beating tone of two lasers injected into the QCL shall beinvestigated.The activity aims at proposing, manufacturing and testing a frequency stabilization loop for QCLs used as LO of supra-THz Schottky mixers.The activity consists in:- establishing the state of the art survey for the Schottky based supra-THz heterodyne receivers and QCL LO,- issuing the main mission, receiver and LO performance requirements including frequency stability.- performing trade off analysis and selecting one baseline frequency stabilization loop solution including its integration with the QCL andSchottky mixer.- designing and analysing the selected configuration.- manufacturing and testing the critical breadboard elements- proposing a roadmap and a development plan for the critical elementsProcurement Policy: C(3) = Activity restricted to SMEs RD Entities. For additional information please go to EMITS news „Industrial Policy measures for non-primes, SMEs and RD entities in ESAprogrammes”.

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