N06-090
TITLE: Dynamic Broadband RF Spectrometer
TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Information Systems, Electronics, Weapons
ACQUISITION PROGRAM: MCS (ATCCS)
OBJECTIVE: To develop a broadband RF spectrometer that will enable true real-time spectrum
management, with dynamic band reallocation and optimal spectral utility.
DESCRIPTION: Current communication systems are limited to static band allocation in order to avoid
potential spectral conflict and reduce possible RF interference. A broadband spectrum monitoring system is
essential for maximal utilization of available spectral resources to meet the growing demands on
information throughput. The Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) requires accurate monitoring of about 2
GHz of spectrum with the ability to zoom in, under software control, on narrow sub-bands (1 MHz or
smaller) with frequency resolution in the kHz range. Other military applications (SIGINT and EW) require
monitoring of wider bandwidths, 20 GHz and beyond. Broadband spectrum monitoring schemes that scale
to ultra-wide frequency ranges are required.
PHASE I: Devise a broadband spectrometer scheme with zoom capability that can be integrated in a multichannel receiver. Approaches that perform direct digitization at RF for both spectrum calculation and signal
reception, avoiding analog down-conversion, are preferred.
PHASE II: Develop and demonstrate spectrometer hardware implementing the scheme developed in Phase
I. Build a communications transceiver subsystem that incorporates the broadband spectrometer.
PHASE III: The broadband spectrometer could be inserted into future JTRS radio family members as a
pre-planned product improvement. Other applications include SIGINT, SSEE and EW systems.
PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: Broadband
spectrometers have various applications, such as spectroscopy for Homeland Security, commercial wireless
communications and astronomy.
REFERENCES:
1) A. Rylyakov, D. Schneider, and Y. Polyakov. A Fully Integrated 16-channel
RSFQ Autocorrelator Operating at 11 GHz. IEEE Trans. on Appl. Supercond.,
pages 3623--3627, June 1999
2) A. Rylyakov and S. Polonsky. All-digital 1-bit RSFQ autocorrelator for
radioastronomy applications: Design and experimental results. IEEE Trans. on
Appl. Supercond., 8(1):14--19, March 1998
KEYWORDS: Broadband; Autocorrelating; Spectrometer; Spectrum Monitoring; UWB frequency; direct
digitization.