Arralis

Arralis Designs K-Band Satcom MMIC PA

Company

Arralis, headquartered in Limerick, Ireland, is a rapidly scaling technology company providing industry-leading expertise in RF, microwave, and millimeter-wave (mmWave) technology. Arralis excels in monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs), packaged component modules, proprietary antenna technology, and integrated radar and communications front-end platforms. The company’s core focus includes E- and W-band frequencies, as well as emerging K/Ka-band satellite communication (satcom) frequencies for satellite-to-ground and inter-satellite links.

Challenge

K/Ka-band satcom systems can provide constant, uninterrupted access to information, driving companies to invest heavily in this spectrum for global broadband services. These systems are enabled through high-power amplifiers (HPAs), which form the final link in the RF power chain of next-generation, satellite-based, RF front-end components. Arralis has developed the Leonis chipset to address the growing demand for lower cost K/Ka-band satellite equipment. The chipset includes IQ and sub-harmonic mixers, upconverter and downconverter core chips, switches, phase shifters, low-noise amplifiers (LNAs), and PAs. 

Solution

During the design phase, extensive circuit design and simulation was performed using the NI AWR Design Environment platform, specifically Microwave Office circuit design software, the AXIEM EM simulator for 3D planar structures (MMIC manifold feed network, on-chip passives, and evaluation board), and the Analyst™ EM simulator for 3D EM analysis of the package. Arralis designers used the simulation software to work with the active and passive MMIC component models developed by the foundry and organized into process design kits (PDKs) developed through collaboration between the NI and UMS modeling teams. 

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