NASA - PICASSO 2014-2017
Brian Drouin, Adrian Tang, Erich Schlecht, Emily Brageot,
Adam Daly
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
Jane Gu, Yu Ye
University of California, Davis
Frank Chang, Rod Kim
University of California, Los Angeles

In-situ sensing of volatiles is critical to planetary science
Rover sensing package (Mars, moon, titan)
 Atmospheric probe / balloon (Earth, Titan, Venus, Mars)
 Exospheric point sensing (comets, icy moons)


Only compact instruments get to go
Mass /power vs. science return
 Mass specs with limited resolution


Many limitations are addressed with SpecChip
Existing mm/submm sensors are sensitive, specific and
multiplex capable - but not compact and power hungry
(SUGARS, DeLucia/Batelle)
 The SpecChip will replace major components reducing mass
and power without compromising sensitivity, specificity or the
discovery space


Leverage CMOS technology developed for
communications to eliminate technical hurdles
in the extension of microwave spectroscopy



Integrated CMOS millimeter transmitters/receivers
have been demonstrated (SoCs)
On-chip signal processing will be matched to
instrument design
Create a simplistic data/command interface
that retains discovery style investigative
sampling
RF components are
Waveguide coupled to
Antennae in cavity
SpecChip mmW System
CMOS chip is integrated
with mmW synthesizer
And switched into
couplings with antennae
Adrian Tang 4/30/2014, dual – use design
leveraged from commercial radio product
86-94 GHz
Transmitter
with pulse
modulation
for
in situ
spectroscopy
PICASSO 2014 funding (PI Brian Drouin) to develop a cavity
resonator with embedded CMOS transmitter and receiver will
enable compact, high sensitivity, high selectivity gas analyses
Design Team
Design Role
Adrian Tang
(JPL)
Lead
Yu Ye (UCD)
PA/Doubler
Rod Kim
(UCLA)
Clock
Qun Gu (UCD)
PA/Doubler
Frank Chang
(UCLA)
Library
Frank Hsiao
(Broadcom)
USART
I-ning Ku
(Broadcom)
ADC
Yen-Hsiang
Wang (Bell
Labs)
Patterning
David Murphy
(Broadcom)
VCO/ILFD
Joseph Chen
(UCLA)
Charge pump
Mike Pham
(NVidia)
Shifter/Timer
Derek Yang
(Qualcomm)
Analog MUX
Yuan Du
(UCLA)
Power Sensor
86-94 GHz
Receiver
with for
pulse
detection for
in situ
spectroscopy
PICASSO 2014 funding (PI Brian Drouin) to develop a cavity
resonator with embedded CMOS transmitter and receiver will
enable compact, high sensitivity, high selectivity gas analyses
Design Team
Design Role
Adrian Tang
(JPL)
Lead
Ran Shu (UCD)
Mixer/LNA
Yu Ye (UCD)
PA/Doubler
Rod Kim
(UCLA)
Clock
Qun Gu (UCD)
PA/Doubler
Frank Chang
(UCLA)
Library
Frank Hsiao
(Broadcom)
USART
I-ning Ku
(Broadcom)
ADC
Yen-Hsiang
Wang (Bell
Labs)
Patterning
David Murphy
(Broadcom)
VCO/ILFD
Joseph Chen
(UCLA)
Charge pump
Mike Pham
(NVidia)
Shifter/Timer
Derek Yang
(Qualcomm)
Analog MUX
Yuan Du
(UCLA)
Power Sensor
To be used to test receiver and transmitter outside of cavity
Patch on upper substrate
Feed on lower substrate
Return Loss
Impedance
Return Loss
Couples to multiply-reflected Gaussian beam mode inside cavity.
Mirror
Simulated fields showing
Gaussian mode excitation
Cavity
Probes
Model Q of 200
fundamental mode
at 97.4 GHz
Antenna
Transmitter design sent for Fabrication 9/19/14, Delivery 11/31/14
PCB design sent for Fabrication 11/6/14, Delivery 11/19/14
Receiver tape-out 12/10/14
Thorlabs:
7cm x 7cm cage block
10 cm cage rods
Cage mount clamp
2” Optic mount
Edmunds Optics:
2” spherical mirror
PI:
Micropositioner
Custom:
Optic bracket
Electrical interfaces:
4 SMA
2 USB
1 DC 10 pin
connector
2 LEMO connectors
gas inlet / pressure
gauges
Vacuum
pump
Conversion Gain (dB)
0
-5
-10
Power Amp

-15
Input power=-7.5dBm
Input power=-1.5dBm
Input power=0.5dBm
Input power=2.5dBm
Input power=4.5dBm
Input power=7.5dBm
-20
-25
50
60
70
80
90
100
Output Frequency (GHz)

Doubler
110

Power spectrum measured in vacuo
with quasi-optic detector (VD QOD)
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
88000
89000
90000
91000
92000
93000
94000
95000
96000
97000
98000
Frequency (MHz)

Power level consistent with a few mW
Total Chip Power
200 mW consumed
Synthesizer
80 mW
ADC/cal/digital
60 mW
PA
40 mW
Low power consumption is essential
For use in space and in concert with other measurements
9/19/14 Tx(1.0) tapeout, 11/30/14 delivery


Partial success, PA not working
12/10/14 Rx(1.0) tapeout, 3/30/15 delivery


Failed run due missing metal layer
3/1/15 Tx(2.0), Rx(2.0) tapeout


Delivery 6/15 (test integrated tuning of Tx/Rx)
5/15/2015 DDS(1.0)
 9/X/2015 integrated DDS+Tx
 11/X/2015 integrated DDS+Rx
 Late 2015 for

New band Tx
 Early 2016 for
New band Rx

NASA –

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Planetary Instrument Concepts for the
Advancement of Solar System Observations
Astrobiology Instrument Development
JPL RTD
Timothy Crawford
William Chun
Marcoanto Chavez
Ken Cooper
nc = 89 GHz
Q = 1000
Dn = 89 MHz
tc = 1/(89 MHz) = 2 ns
nc = 89 GHz
Q = 10000
Dn = 8.9 MHz
tc = 1/(8.9 MHz) = 20 ns
Sensitivity goes as ~ I0QL, but bandwidth suffers as Q increases
What Q is reasonable?
What t is reasonable?
Will these scale easily?