Microchip Technology Incorporated (MCHP) Earnings Call Transcript & Summary

Hello, and welcome to today's session, Unlock the Next Level of RF performance with Microchip's RF signal chain solution. My name is Brook. And today, I'm joined by Baljit Chandhoke, our Product Manager for RF products. Before we get started today, I'm going to play a quick housekeeping video. [Presentation]

All right. So as mentioned, please be sure to use the Q&A function to ask any questions throughout today's session that you would like our subject matter experts to answer. And as a reminder, this session will be available for you to watch on demand. And with that, Baljit, please take it away.

Thank you, Brook. Hello, everybody. My name is Baljit Chandhoke, I'm the Product Manager for RF Products at Microchip. The agenda for today's webinar, in the first section, I will cover RF communication networks comprising of the transmitter and the receiver, then cover beamforming architecture and the trade-offs between the different types of architectures. Talk about RF applications with RF frequencies and the key RF front-end requirements for these applications. Next, I'll talk about SWaP-C or Size, Weight, Power and Cost impact and the benefits of GaN on silicon carbide for providing high-linearity solutions for 5G, satellite communications and space applications. Then I'll talk about RF solutions for 5G and Aerospace and Defense and finish my webinar with a talk on VCSO's, SAW Filters and a new and unique diode technology, MMSM, which we'll discuss towards the end of the webinar. Let's look at a block diagram of an RF system. Let's start with the transmitter. A communication network is a sophisticated system that performs many digital and analog functions. Even though most communication networks are now classified as digital, signal transmission from the point to the intended target uses analog RF signals, the RF portion of this network contains transmitter and receiver circuitry. In the transmitter, a digital signal carrying the information to be transmitted is converted to an analog signal using a digital-to-analog converter. This intermediate signal is conditioned with amplification and filtering before it is converted to higher RF frequency for transmission. The up-conversion process involves a mixer and a local oscillator. Once the desired RF frequency range is attained, the signal is filtered and amplified using -- and then effectively it is transmitted using a power amplifier. This architecture is a super heterodyne architecture. And some of the key RF components in the RF transmit signal chain are the power amplifier, the distributed amplifier, filters, voltage control oscillators, phase frequency detectors and pre-scalers. The slide shows you an example of an RF transmitter. Now let's look at a super heterodyne receiver, which has a similar architecture. At the receiver, the signal level is likely to be very low. The first order of business is to retrieve the incoming information. This typically involves filtering to remove any unwanted frequency components and then amplify the remaining frequency components to useful signal levels. The first amplification change is known as low-noise amplifier, and as the name implies, the purpose of this amplification state is to add as little additional noise to the input signal as possible. From here, the amplified signal reaches a mixer in a super heterodyne receiver. In this case, the mixer products are chosen to down-convert the input signal to a lower IF frequency of processing. An analog-to-digital converter or ADC converts the analog signal to digital signal to be processed by an FPGA or a DSP in the digital section of this communication network. This slide showed you an example of what a receiver architecture looks like as well as showed you the key RF components that I've discussed so far. Now let's look at some of these RF applications. So for these RF applications, satellite communication for low-Earth orbit and Geosynchronous communication operates in the K-band, which spans from 12 gigahertz to 40 gigahertz. Thousands of low-Earth orbit satellites are now circling the Earth and delivering broadband Internet access, navigation and maritime surveillance, remote sensing and other services using phased array beamforming. 5G fixed wireless access, 5G infrastructure devices like small cells, femto cells, pico cells, repeaters, all use millimeter wave phased array for beamforming. In aerospace and defense applications, different types of radar systems are used in aircrafts to monitor the radar environment to alert the pilot of any hostile or foreign activity using active electronically scanned radars in which the beam of radio waves can be electronically steered to point in different directions without moving the antenna. All these RF applications are looking at smaller size, weight, reduced power consumption and better linearity solutions, which I'll discuss in this webinar. Now let's start off with understanding the different types of phased array beam forming architectures used in the RF applications that I discussed on the last slide. There are 3 different types of beamforming architectures. There is analog beamforming, digital beamforming and hybrid beamforming. For any phased array, the ideal separation between the elements is lambda/2. The block diagram shows analog beamforming. Here, what is shown as 4 phased array elements separated by wavelength lambda/2. So as an example, for a 30 gigahertz signal, there will be a 5-millimeter separation between the phased array elements. In analog beamforming, the phase shifter does the beamforming by changing the phase to do constructive interference for receiving and transmitting the signal by focusing the energy from the beam in the particular direction. This is all done at RF frequency, hence is more sensitive to interconnect losses. Then the signals from the phase shifter goes to the power combiner or splitter, followed by down converter and ADC/DAC to the baseband. In this case, for end phased array elements, there's only 1 digital front end. As you can see in the block diagram on the slide for 4 phased array elements, there is only 1 digital front end comprising of ADC and DAC. The benefit of this architecture is the smallest number of components, lowest power consumption. However, as the phase shifting is done in RF bands, this type of beamforming architecture is most sensitive to interconnect losses and complexity in phase shifting. The front-end module comprising of the switch, LNA and phase and amplitude controller at the receiver and phase shifter, PA and switch of the transmitter is shown in yellow on the slide. Now let's look at the other type of the beamforming, which is a Digital beamforming, in which the traditional up and down conversion to the baseband and then digital phase shifting is done. The benefit of this architecture is, it provides more precision as digital beamforming is done in the baseband. However, there is ADC and DAC for each phased array element, resulting in a large number of components and high power dissipation. In this case, for end phased array elements, there are end digital front-end components. So as you can see on the block diagram on the slide, for 4 phased array elements, there are 4 digital front-ends comprising of ADCs and DACs. The third type of beamforming is hybrid beamforming, which combines digital and analog beamforming and is optimal for larger phased arrays to get efficiency of analog beam-forming with less number of components, power dissipation and precision of digital beamforming. As you can see in the block diagram on the slide, for 4 phased array elements, there are 2 digital front-ends comprising of ADC and DACs. If you compare with analog beamforming, there was only a single digital front-end comprising of ADC and DAC. And with just -- and if you did pure digital beamforming, there were 4 digital front end comprising of ADCs and DACs. So you kind of get a difference between the different types of beamforming architectures that we have discussed so far, the analog beamforming, digital beamforming, and hybrid beamforming. So now let's look at another new type of beamforming architecture which is coming up in a big way, metamaterial beamforming, which has been used in 5G, satellite communication and radar applications, along with the traditional phased array beamforming. In metamaterial beamforming, varactors are the tuning element used to steer the beam for beamforming. In traditional phased array beamforming, each phased array element is connected to front-end module comprising of the switch, LNA and phase and amplitude controller at the receiver and phase shifter, power amplifier and switch at the transmitter. This contrasts with metamaterial beamforming, in which all the antenna elements are connected to a single transmitter or receiver through passive phase shifters. Varactors, which are the tuning elements are used to steer the beam for beamforming and hence, it is passive beamforming. We now understand the different types of the beamforming architectures with trade-offs. Now let's look at the key RF front-end requirements for different beamforming applications. In satellite communications, we are receiving the signal from far away. So the key figure of merit is the low-noise amplifier noise figure for the RF front end. Gallium arsenide and GaN on silicon carbide provides the lowest noise figure, resulting in better signal-to-noise ratio and improving the receiver sensitivity. For 5G wireless infrastructure, power amplifier, output power, linearity and power added efficiency determine the beamforming phased array size. GaN on silicon carbide with the highest power density provides best in class PA, Psat, PAE and linearity. High PA PAE results in low power consumption, and this results in high linear output power, minimizing distortions in a highly crowded RF spectrum. Now that we understand the key front-end requirements for RF front end, let's look at the RF frequencies used in applications that we have discussed so far. Satellite communication for low-Earth orbit and geosynchronous communication operates in the Ku band, which is 12 to 18 gigahertz and the Ka band, which is 26 to 40 gigahertz. Radars operate in the L band, which is 1 to 2 gigahertz for identified [indiscernible] applications. Distance measuring equipment applications, tracking and surveillance applications at S band, 2 to 4 gigahertz for selective response [ modes ] applications and for weather radar. X band is 8 to 12 gigahertz and is used for weather radar, aircraft radar to detect weather turbulence and military applications. C-band is 4 to 8 gigahertz and is used for communication applications such as 5G sub-7 gigahertz. 5G millimeter wave, which provides highest bandwidths and data rates, uses 24 gigahertz and higher frequency bands. RF applications are looking at SWaP-C or size, weight, power and cost benefits. The huge dish antenna like you see on the picture is being replaced with the phased array antenna for satellite communication needing smaller sized components for integration. Lower weight components are needed to have more payload and less fuel consumption. As an example for a satellite. High RF power, which is linear with high P1dB and IP3 to reduce distortion and efficient with high PAE or power and efficiency to minimize heat dissipation. And achieving all these benefits in the RF components at low total operating cost including manufacturing and component costs. So those are some of the key requirements of RF components in the application that we have discussed so far. GaN on silicon carbide has the highest power density to generate high linear efficient output power. GaN on silicon carbide power amplifiers can operate at high frequencies in the Ku, Ka band from 12 to 40 gigahertz for satellite communication, 5G and other broadband applications, with broad bandwidths, high gain with better thermal properties meeting the requirement of all the applications. The first graph shows the linear gain across frequency and output power levels for GaN on silicon carbide power amplifiers. And the second graph shows the linear PAE across frequency and output power levels. This slide shows the technology transition. As you can see, for low frequency up till 3 gigahertz, LDMOS provides the output power, which is highest as the technology of choice, GaAs provides the output power up till 5 watts across a wide frequency band, up to 100 gigahertz and is the preferred solution in this band. GaN on silicon carbide with its highest power density provides highest output power at high frequencies, meeting the requirements for aerospace and defense, 5G, satellite communication applications with broad bandwidths, high gain with better thermal properties and is the technology of choice for power amplifiers. So far in the first section, we talked about RF systems, beamforming architectures and the trade-offs between the different architectures. And we looked at how the technology is transitioning from LDMOS to GaAs to GaN on silicon carbide with the benefits that GaN on silicon carbide offers with highest power density for these RF applications. In this section of the webinar, I will focus on satellite communication, RF solutions and space applications including New Space. And then I'll talk about trade-offs in LEO, GEO, MEO satellite communications, followed by difference in components, usage-base applications for these satellite constellations. What I'll discuss is the COTS components or Commercial Off-The-Shelf components to radiation-tolerant components to radiation-hardened components. To begin this section, let's talk about the New Space. New Space refers to the emergence of the private spaceflight industry. Spanning areas such as private launch companies, small satellite constellations or suborbital tourism as well as other specific efforts that aim to reinvent the traditional space industry. New Space has a different mindset. New Space has shorter mission lives, fraction of the traditional NASA/ESA goals. It is a discussion to determine the best way to achieve mission goals in a space, in a safe, most effective manner. Qualification requirements can vary by function from COTS to Rad-Tol to Rad-Hard components. You see on the side, there are 3 different types of Earth orbits, LEO, or low-Earth orbit, is at a distance less than 2,000 kilometers from Earth spanning between 320 to 1,100 kilometers. MEO or medium-Earth orbit is at a distance less than 12,000 square meters spanning between 8,000 to 12,000 kilometers. And GEO or geosynchronous-Earth orbit is at a distance of 35,800 kilometers from the Earth. There are satellite constellations in each of these Earth orbits. Now let's look at the trade-offs for the GEO, MEO, LEO satellite constellations. Geosynchronous satellite communication has high latency due to the geosynchronous Earth orbit being 35,800 kilometers away from Earth. And each satellite covers a very large area with 3 satellites, sufficient to provide coverage around the earth with the stationary antenna. Medium Earth orbit satellite communication has lower latency, being less than 12,000 kilometers away from Earth, and each satellite covers a large area with 6 satellites sufficient to provide coverage around the Earth with a slow tracking antenna. Low Earth orbit satellite communication has very low latency being less than 2,000 kilometers away from Earth. And each satellite covers a very small area with hundreds and thousands of satellites needed to provide coverage on the Earth with a fast tracking phased array antenna. The advantages of LEO satellite communication is smaller, low-power satellite constellations that can be batch launched, providing Internet connectivity with low latency around the globe. This picture shows you geosynchronous satellite, which is orbiting 35,800 kilometers away from Earth and low Earth orbit constellations orbiting less than 2,000 kilometers away. There are data gateways connecting to the satellite constellation, providing content and satellites communicating with the customer premise equipment at user homes. Geosynchronous satellites have been providing connectivity in flights, airborne vehicles and to ground in different parts of the world. Now with low earth orbit satellite constellation such as Starlink being deployed, there's exponential growth in the low orbit satellites with over 3,000 mass-produced small satellites in low Earth orbit from Starlink providing Internet access to over 1 million subscribers. Satellite frequency communication bands are shown in the table. Earth station transmits the uplink signal to the satellite at higher operating frequency, while satellites transmit at lower operating frequency to be cost effective. As we go to higher frequency bands such as Ku and Ka band, there is higher bandwidth available, resulting in higher data rates. At these frequencies, K band 12 to 40 gigahertz frequencies, there is attenuation due to rain as well as expensive equipment is needed to transmit and receive the signal. The slide shows you the RF signal chain for satellite communication. Looking at the diagram from left hand side, there's a downlink signal from the satellite received at the ground terminal, which is selected using the bandpass filter or a diplexer. The signal is very small at -- as it has been received from the satellite and is amplified using a low-noise amplifier. Then down demoted from RF frequency to baseline frequency using a mixer for signal processing. Some of the other components in the RF signal chain are Filter Banks, switches to select the RF signal, variable attenuators for signal conditioning, phased frequency detector, pre-scalars to generate the local oscillator PLL frequency to transform the signal from RF to baseband. On the transmit side, the baseband signal is up converted to RF frequency using a mixer and is amplified using a power amplifier to generate large output signal at RF frequency, which is then transmitted to the satellite as an uplink signal. Now that we understand the block diagram for satellite communication as well as some of the other RF applications that we talked about, let's look at some key figures of merit for components, which are used in the RF signal chain for these RF applications that I've discussed in this webinar. The figure of merit for power amplifier at the transmitter is to generate high linear efficient output power. The linearity is determined by output IP3 or output third order intercept point and P1dB or the 1 dB compression point. The higher OIP3 and P1dB is, the higher linearity of the power amplifier, which results in load distortion of the RF signal output, causing less interference in the RF spectrum, which is very precious. Power amplified efficiency is determined by the PAE, or Power Added Efficiency, which is measured in percentage. Efficient power is generated with a high-power amplifier PAE percentage. And the receiver LNA noise figure determines the sensitivity of the receiver with lower noise figure resulting in better signal-to-noise ratio and better sensitivity and improved range. For the RF switches, the key figure of merit is insertion loss and isolation. The insertion loss should be as small as possible to prevent losses in the RF signal chain and isolation between the ports of the switch should be as high as possible to minimize leakage signals between the RF ports. Prescalers have phased noise in dBc at kilohertz offset as a key figure of merit and the noise floor again, in DBC/hertz. But reliability for satellite communication, as an example, for components that are used is determined by NASA standard EEE-INST-002, which determines the electronic, electrical, electromechanical components liability and is critical for large long mission length and mission critical applications. Packaging could be plastic integrated circuit packages or radiation hardened components, including hermetically sealed packages. Now that we understand the key figures of merit for RF components that are used in RF applications, let's look into the difference in components which are used for space applications. With New Space, shorter mission lives, components selection becomes critical to achieve mission goals of safety in the most cost-effective manner. Component qualification requirements can vary by function, from COTS or Commercial Off-The-Shelf to Rad-Tol or Radiation-Tolerant to Rad-Hard or Radiation-Hardened components depending on the exposure to space environment. GaN on silicon carbide and gallium arsenide components can be screened for radiation-tolerant or radiation-hardened requirements. COTS components are typically industrial temperature range, have a radiation tolerant under 1 Krad (Si) and are less expensive. Radiation-Tolerant components can be characterized for radiation tolerance levels from 15 to 50 Krad (Si) and have higher costs. Radiation-Hardened components have radiation tolerance over 100 Krad (Si) and are significantly more expensive. Now let's look at some Microchip solutions for space applications, which include power amplifiers, low-noise amplifiers, RF switches, voltage variable [indiscernible]. We offer commercial off-the-shelf components or COTS components as well as components screened to Rad-Tol or Rad-Hard specifications. Gallium arsenide HEMT transistors and GaN on silicon carbide MMICs are developed on processes, as well as GaAs MMICs on development process capable of being screened all the way up till Rad-Hard. The components can be screened per MIL-38534 or NASA EEE-INST-002 or to a customer-provided specification. We offer our components as die plastic package as well as in hermetic PC packages. Now let's look at some Microchip diode products, which are developed on processes with space heritage. The diodes can be streamed to MIL-750 as well as MIL-883 or MIL-19500 as well as MIL-38534. We can also screen to the European standard ESA ESCC 5010 or to a customer-provided specification. Hermetically sealed packages are also available for most of our diode products. Microchip has over 40 years of space heritage with components in space in various applications, from RF switching, communication dealing, SAW Filters, VCSOs. As you see on the slide, some examples of our SAW space VCSO and Filter products. To summarize, Microchip RF solutions for space, I'd like to highlight that diodes and SAW products from Microchip are developed in processes with space heritage. Gallium arsenide and GaN on silicon carbide MMICs, transistors are developed in processes, which are capable of being screened all the way up till Rad-Hard. Space screening Per MIL-38534 or NASA EEE-INST-002 or to a customer provided specification. We have hermetically sealed packages available for MMICs, transistors, diodes, SAW products. And for these space applications, we offer RF solutions as well as for these RF applications, we offer RF solutions from COTS or Commercial Off-The-Shelf, which can be screened all the way up to Rad-Hard. We offer plastic packages as well as hermetically sealed packages. So now we have covered the key RF requirements for satellite communication as well as for space. We talked about the component trade-offs between the different components, the COTS, Rad-Hard, Rad-Tol, as well as the different low Earth orbit, medium Earth orbit and geosynchronous Earth orbit satellite constellations and how they differentiate in terms of quality of service. Now the next section, I'll talk about 5G. With the discussion of 5G network architecture, EIRP or Effective Isotropic Radiated Power requirements mandated by FCC 5G power amplifier requirements and solutions. The slide shows you the different frequency bands for 5G millimeter wave globally. Different countries have different bands for 5G-millimeter wave. In the United States, 28 gigahertz was the first 5G millimeter wave band deployed, which is going to be followed by 39 gigahertz. China is deploying 5G millimeter wave in the 24.5 to 27.5 gigahertz band and have been behind in the adoption of 5G millimeter wave compared to the U.S. So before we get into the architecture, let's look at the 5G network. 5G network is composed of micro base stations and small cells. Macro base stations is connected to the core network using millimeter wave backhaul of fiberoptic links. Macro base stations can talk directly to the user equipment, cell phones or can talk to small cells, which talk to the user equipment, mobile phone, providing the last mile connectivity. There are pico cells and femto cells which provide connectivity inside office buildings where the connection might be weak or which might have high user density. Femto cells are typically user installed to improve coverage within a small vicinity such as a home office or a deaf zone within the building. Femto cells are designed to support only a handful of users and are capable of handling few simultaneous calls. And they have a low output power up to 0.2 watts. Pico cells offer greater capacities and coverage areas, supporting up to 100 users over a range up to 300 meters. Pico cells are frequently deployed indoors to improve power of the wireless network and cellular coverage within the building, such as office floor or a retail space. Pico cells can be deployed temporarily in anticipation of high traffic within the limited areas such as a sporting event, but can also be installed as a permanent feature of a mobile cellular network in a heterogenous network working in conjunction with micro cells to provide uninterrupted coverage for end users. They have an output power up to 2 watts. Macro base stations are large base stations covering a large area, greater than kilometers and have output power greater than 100 watts. Now that we understand the 5G network architecture, let's look at the 5G millimeter wave radiation requirements that are mandated by FCC. FCC have mandated that the mobile power or your cell phone transmit Effective Isotropic Radiated Power can be 43 dBm, which is 20 watts. The base station output, this is output power, is limited to 75 dBm per 100 hertz and the base station transportable power is maximum power of 55 dBm EIRP or Effective Isotropic Radiated Power. As we discussed initially the different types of phased array beamforming architectures and the new metamaterial beamforming architecture which is being used in 5G satellite communication radar applications. But the different being thing that varactors are the tuning element, use cytarabine for metamaterial beamforming compared to power amplifiers, low-noise amplifiers and RF switches and phase shifters, which are used in traditional phased array beamforming architecture. So the benefit of this architecture is low power consumption as well as lower total cost of solution. And this architecture is starting to get adopted in these different applications, that metamaterial beamforming is a new architecture, which is gaining more and more adoption because of the benefits that it provides. So Microchip does offer a lot of solutions for both the traditional phased array beamforming architectures with our power amplifiers, low-noise amplifiers, phase frequency detectors as well as RF switches. For metamaterial beamformings, we have power amplifiers and we, of course, have the varactors or -- the slide shows you an example of a varactor which has been deployed right now for 5G fixed wireless access. This is the MV3903-P2010903-P10 shipping in high volumes. And that's one of the most cost-effective millimeter wave 5G beamforming technology. So we should -- we have a complete varactor line with multiple offerings meeting the requirements for the different metamaterial beamforming applications. Now I'm going to talk about the 5G power amplifier, which we offer both for traditional phased arrays as well as for metamaterial beamforming architecture. So I'll show this with an example of metamaterial beamforming, so it has 640 Antenna Array elements that would mean an Array Gain of 26 dB. The power amplifier output, if you are designing for a gNB or a base station with a 60 dBm transmit output power. So if you recall the previous slide, the limit was 55 dBm transmit output power for a base station. So you have some designed for losses. So you design at 60 dBm transmit power. So your PA needs to have an output of 60 dBm. So effectively, you have an earning of 36 dB, that means the PA has to be 34 dBm to get to 60 dBm transmit output power. In addition, 5G needs that the PA should meet the linear requirements of 70 dB ACL or adjusted channel leakage ratio as well as depending on the modulation scheme that you're using, if you're using 64 Com, the [indiscernible] can be up to 8% or less. And with the modulation scheme of 256 Come [indiscernible] magnitude has to be 3% or less. The power amplifier has to operate in the 5G wave level frequencies of 28 gigahertz, [ 70 ] gigahertz and 47 gigahertz. So effectively, for metamaterial beam forming architecture, a single GaN -- [ siilcon ] carbide power amplifier meets those requirements with low power consumption, 25% PAE, GaN PA, which I'll show you in the next couple of slides. So you compare this with the traditional space that had been forming in which you need a power amplifier for each element. So that's why it's a very efficient type of beam forming architectures metamaterial been forming. And Microchip does offer solution for traditional [indiscernible] the architectures without power amplifiers, [ Op ] amplifiers as well as for metamaterial beam forming architectures with our power amplifiers and [indiscernible] and pin diodes. This is an example of ICP 3840, which is in the Ka-band, 27.5 to 31 gigahertz, the evaluation board has shown this devices available readily and meets the requirements of 5G in terms and has a power added efficiency of 22%. So if you recall a couple of sites back, in the example, what was needed was 34 dBm output power. This device has 39.5 dBm output power. So you can actually operate this add back off to get a more effective solutions, to get lower distortion, to get better linearity. Another solution and even in a wider frequency band as the ICP 3637 P, which is offered in the package the ICP 240 was it and [indiscernible], this one is offered both as a package as well as in die. With this solution, it's a 5x5 QFN package and the BAE is 25%, output power is 37 dBm. So all you needed was 34 dBm for that example. And you get back the soft 3 dBm thermistor requirements, and it has possible been a 23 dB. There's examples of some other products that we offer in the Ku band with the ICP 1639 with 8 watts, ICP 1523, which operates from 12 to 18 gigahertz for 20 watts and ICP 1747, which is at 50 watts, is offered as [indiscernible] as well as packages. For some other solutions at the higher frequencies so at the 33 -- 38 gigahertz, we have solutions which operate from 5-watt pulse output to 10-watt to 20-watt pulse output -- and these are also available in packages with the ICP 2637 P which is 5 watt and then ICP 2840 is 9watt and it can operate TW, and ICP 1937 is 5 watt and can operate as well. So just as a recap for the last section, we talked about the 5G megatrends with discussion on 5G network architecture, the IRB requirements mandated by FCC, 5G power amplifier requirements and solutions. This was preceded by a discussion on satellite communcation megatrends and RF solutions for satellite communication and space applications, including new space, trade-offs in the LEO, GEO, MEO satellite communication followed by difference in components used in space applications with commercial off-the-shelf components to radiation tolerant, radiation hardened components. Now in this section, I'll talk about RF solutions for aerospace and defense. So aerospace and defense applications include different types of radar systems that are used in aircrafts to monitor the radar environment, to alert the pilot of any hostile or foreign activity. You can see -- so what the radar is doing is it's painting the picture of incoming signal as a friend or a foe. The primary reader transmits pulsed RF power and receive scatter data as used for tracking, surveillance and weather. Secondly, readout on the other hand transcript RF signal at one frequency. It was received by the antenna, decoded and response of the different frequency back to the radar. Examples of secondary radar, our identified friend or foe, which uses 1030 megahertz and 1090 megahertz frequencies, distance measuring equipment, which uses these frequencies by 90 -- 960 megahertz to 1230 megahertz and transponders, which are used for communication applications. Now let's look at the radar system block diagram. A radar system is a transmit receive system, so you can transmit the signal and then you get the back the scatter received signal to determine the different applications for radar from identified friend or foe or distance measuring applications, some examples. In the block diagram, as you see, there's an antenna on the left-hand side and then you have a transmit receive switch, the transplant received switch can be implemented using pin diodes that we have shown out here or you can also implement it using RF switch. Then on the receive side. Let's start off with the trans -- let's start off with the receiver. On the receive side, first, you have blocking or [indiscernible] pin diode. So the intent of this pin diode is that if your signal that's coming in is extremely large. It can destroy your downstream devices. So what the spin diode does is it leads the charming signal and only allow signal, which is within a boundary to go through your RF single chain, hence, protecting your downstream devices. After that, what you see is a soft filter, the intent of soft filter is to just take the frequency of interest and give it to the low-noise amplifier, which amplifies it and effectively then it goes to the mixer, which down converts it to the base plan for processing using an FPGA. So this was the receiver RF signal chain. On the transmit side, you have the baseline signal from the FPGA, which gets up converted using a mixer, for the mixer, you can have up conversion using frequency -- Phase frequency detectors and [indiscernible] scalers for the local oscillator, which pectorchip also offers and then effectively you transmit the signal using a distributed amplifier and then you have a power amplifier, you transmit the signal and the output stage. And then you have the RF switch, which selects your transmitter and then it gets transmitted using an antibot. So that's kind of your block diagram for our radar system. It's a transmit-receive plot diagram. Next block -- time around, I'm going to show you is a receiver on the plot diagram. This could be for electronic warfare or an ECM receiver. So here, you have limited diodes again to enemy jamming signal coming in from the antenna and to prevent the downstream devices to be protected. Then you have a switch selecting between the different frequency bands, then you have the soft filters, which enable you to select the frequency of interest and then pass it on to the [ low noise] amplifier, which amplifies a signal. Again, it's got low noise amplification. So effectively a noise figure is critical. it improves -- it amplifies the signal with pretty small single device ratio. And then effectively, you down convert it to the IFA terminal frequency. For the down conversion, you can use a face frequency detector, which Microchip offers as well as prescalers that microchip offers. So as you can see, Microchip offers the entire RF signal chain. All the components are highlighted out here and then effectively gets to the baseline and then it gets processed at the baseline. So a pretty wide portfolio of devices, which include our discrete can amplifiers or transistors. These transistors are anywhere from 12 watts output to 100 watts output with efficiency of 65% and a gain of up to 14 dB, these are offered as a die. We also offer accurate non-linear transistor models and Keysight ADS for these dispute transistors to help our customers in terms of matching and designing of these transistors in their systems. For aerospace and defense applications as well as other RF applications, we have our packaged Gallium Arsenide mimic low noise amplifiers. These are -- so the key, I think these have noise figure, which is a key figure of minute like we saw in the first section, which is as low as 1.5 dB. They are in plastic packages, QFN 4x4 5x5 as well as they are offered in die and they have a gain uptill 18.5 dB and effectively -- they can handle self pricing as well. So it's a single positive power supply and can also handle very high input power as 32 dBm. So depending on the applications, you can select from the components, these are just some of the components, we have a huge lineup of these big products that you can see on our website, the applications range from testing management applications to military and space to wideband radios, communication systems. We also have our distributed power amplifiers, which are going all the way up till DC 24 gigahertz with 1 watt output power, -- these have -- some of these have positive [indiscernible] ops. Some of them are self biased. So single power supply applications are mentioned out here. So depending on your needs, you can select the components, and these are just examples of components. We have a huge lineup, which you can see on our website. We have our Phase 2 frequency detectors, CFT1K, which is used in a local oscillator to generate output frequency. We also have pre scalers. So effectively, you can use this to make with the pre scalers and the DFT1K, you can make your own PLL to generate the local oscillator, which is needed to down convert or unconvert the signal from baseline to RF or RF to baseline or intermediate frequencies. So we have a huge portfolio of gallium silicon carbide power amplifiers like we saw in the first section, Gallium silicone carbide has highest power density and provides you a great performance in terms of output power. We offer our solutions in the Span ICP 0349 2.7 to 3.5 gigahertz with 70 watt output power available as a die as well as -- in a package 7x7 millimeter package, then we have solutions in the Xpand, 7.9 to 11 gigahertz or ICP 1048, which has 70 watts output power, both offered as a die as well as flange package. And then growing to the tray new band, we have solutions in the ICP1747, 14 to 19 gigahertz with 51 output power. And then the Ka-band, we have solutions ICP 2637, which is 5 watt output power nwith die as well as classic package and ICP 2840, which is slight bought out to out to power offered the die. These products have different PAE performances depending on the frequency plan. As well as the different gains, which you can refer from our data sheets, but the key figures of merit in terms of frequencies and pre stats mentioned, which enabled you to select from the components mentioned. So now I'll come to the last section of my webinar, which I'll talk about, the voltage-controlled oscillators, soft filters and a new and unique diode technology, MMSM, which I'll discuss in detail. Let's look at some of the applications of surface acoustic wave or solutions. So the key applications include transceivers and oscillators. So for transceivers, what they need is filtering or isolation of the received signal as well as suppression of the spurs in the transmit path as well as separation of receive or transcript or multi-band received signals at [indiscernible]. All of which can be done with the help of the RF SAW products rates as you have RF filters, soft filters, you have soft filter blanks as well as diplexers, duplexes, which enable you to meet the requirements for these applications. Then for the oscillators as well as for P&L for output -- we have the voltage control oscillators, which can generate an output frequency at a very high output. So what the VCSOs offer is extremely low phase noise and also extremely low phase chitter and I'll talk more about this in detail as well as temperature compensation aspect of it. But sort of with our latest 101765 ultra low phase noise voltage control oscillator, which have a phase noise, I think the offset of minus 165 DBC per hertz and a noise for minus 180 DBC per hertz, which is industry leading. The Phase I plot is shown on the site. Some of the applications for 101765 include Phase [indiscernible] an XO switch includes the phase noise greater than 10th of a hertz, instrumentation as a local oscillator, infrastructure as a local oscillator for radar as a clock, oscillator as well as for ASR radar. We also offer miniaturized filter solutions or Microsoft filters. So with this, it's extremely small size of 1.4 x 1.1 millimeter square -- there's tried the next level of miniaturization with RF performance comparable to the previous generation, the 2 x 1.6 millimeter square solution. We have host reference products released by the ISM band, the GNSS band of 5 L2 and the performance characteristics are shown on the site. Another way and unique product we have is our packaged soft filter banks, where you can integrate as many as 8 soft filters in a single package solution. So effectively, as you see out here on the slide that you have a board, which is 13 x 25 millimeter and which gets converted with all the same functionality into a single soft filter band with 13.5 x 9.6 millimeter, which is a 60% portage reduction. Now let's move to the diode offering. I talked about the MMSM or the monolithic microwave surface mound RF diode technology, which utilizes new and unique MMSM technology with packaged device integration accomplished at the wafer fab level. The MMSM RF diode come out of the fab already packaged, replacing die with minimal effect on size, resistance, capacities and conductance in a surface boundpoint package. MSL 1 rating available in high-volume production for applications such as medical, industrial, aerospace and defense. The slide shows you [indiscernible] MMSM as well as site n406 MMSM. This slide shows you the Surface Mount MMS pin diode limited parts with the key characteristics as well as the MMSM pin switch elements with the key characteristics of insertion loss as low as 0.5 dB Max and isolation as high as 43 dB and the part numbers are shown on the slide as well as the packages. So I'd like to end my presentation today summarizing Microchip offering RF signal change solution that we saw during the course of the presentation, across the different applications. So just a recap from a antenna RF signals are coming in, then we have limited pin diodes. And we have RF switches, the signal goes to the RF switches, which we offer as well as the soft filters, which effectively select the frequency of interest and then a low-noise amplifier amplify the signal with a very low noise figure as low as 1.5 dB noise figure and then effectively it is down converted to an IF using LO and you can create your own local aspirator, PLL using our phase frequency detectors as well as the prescalers then effectively, the IF frequency is amplified as well using either a distributed amplifier or a low noise amplifier and which we offer and then down converted again to the baseband processing. And then on the prospect side, we have power amplifiers with gallium arsenide power amplifiers with as high a output power as 70 watts in the sband as well as in the Ku-band 40 to 90 gigahertz and then we have Ka-band solutions as high as 30 to 38 gigahertz with output power of 20 watts. We also offer transistors as high as 100 watts, and we all offer a specific frequency application transistors in pallet form as high as 2,200 watt output power, effectively a pretty broad portfolio of devices, Microchip offers. And these portfolio devices have best-in-class RF performance, enabling the megatrends that you see in 5G satellite communications, aerospace and defense with our transistors and mimics having flat gain across the entire RF frequency band of operations, excellent noise figure for our low noise amplifiers. And trades linearity for our power amplifiers. Gallium silicone carbide technology is our technology of choice for our power amplifiers, and gas is our technology of choice for our low amplifiers as well as by distributed amplifiers. Benefits of gallium silicon carbide technology include high-power density, high efficiency, high surging speed, low latency, providing you the benefits of swapsea or science weighed and power at the way cost and performance. And we also offer Microchip Power solutions for space in which we have a lot of heritage with our diodes and some products and our gas and gallium silicone carbide mimics and transistors are developed in processors, which are capable of being screened up till right heart because of these 3, 5 processes that they are built on, our diodes is a complete portfolio with voractors as well as pin diodes as well as diodes for 5G, for actors enabling technology for cost-effective 5G repeats. Our SAW products have temperature compensated saw solutions with integrated soft filter banks as well as miniature saw solutions and of VCSS solutions with best-in-class [indiscernible] performance 101 765 and all of these components enable us to provide the next level of RF performance for our customers, providing RF signal chain solutions without our power amplifiers, low noise amplifiers, mimic transistors, diodes, soft filters and the CSOs. Now I'm going to pass it over to Brook for questions.

Yes. Thank you. So we have time to address a couple of the questions that we got from the audience. The first one says, what is the difference between metamaterial beam forming and traditional phased array beam forming?

Thank you, Brook. Great question. So I think this is something that we really want to highlight is the new type of beam-forming architecture, which is the metamaterial beam forming architecture. And with that architecture, it's enabling solutions to be most cost effective. So if you look at the slide that I'm showing on screen, effectively, it enables you to -- it's a passive beam forming architecture and it has low power consumption than traditional phase beam forming architecture and similar architecture. So instead of using the PAs, LNA switches, you're using varactors between the beam. And with that, that's possibly forming and that's something that we have seen has been used for 5G fixed wallet access, satellite communication radar applications with varactors as well as pin diodes. This is a very interesting beam forming architecture metamaterial beam forming is picking up in a big way. So traditional phase beam forming architecture continues to be used in all of these applications as well. Thank you, Brook.

Thank you. Our next question says, what are the frequency bands for LEO satellite communications?

So for LEO satellite communication, that is coming up in a big way for providing Internet connectivity around the globe. So you can take the example of Starlink, where it's providing connectivity to millions of subscribers now with over 3,000 satellites that are in the low Earth orbit. And the key benefit of this is extremely low latency and the frequencies that the satellite communication frequency band. I have just showed it on the screen for what you can see. So effectively, for Ka/Ku band, there are some benefits with extremely large bandwidth and that's kind of what's been used for LEO satellite communication.

Great. The last question that we'll get to today says what are the benefits of switched saw banks?

So switched soft filter bank is an interesting technology. So let me show you the slide which effectively -- yes. So I think if you look at the slides, the key benefit is miniaturization. So effectively, you have up till 8 soft filters that you can use selectively using a single chip. So effectively, there is a integration of 8 channel filter bank, and you can select 8 different frequencies. And instead of -- so the bond reduction or the board space reduction of 60%, and it's great for frequency-hopping technologies, tactical radios, radar applications. And for receive and transmit filtering and multiband high-performance radio front-ends as well as for integrated switch solutions replacing array of the speed filters. Those are some of the applications. And you can see the performance on the slide as well. So that's kind of what is the key benefits that this particular product family offers to the masses.

Perfect. Thank you. Well, please continue to keep the questions coming, and we will answer them after the session. In the meantime, thank you, Baljit, and to our audience for attending another Microchip webinar. Please stay tuned for more upcoming sessions soon, and we'll see you next time.

Thank you.