Innovative Manufacturing Processes

The focus of the Phase I SBIR effort, SMDC Contract DASG60-03-C-0093, was to initiate a study of this same material for different RF frequencies, specifically, X-Band. The preliminary results are very promising. Purposely, MSI utilized its core competencies to develop a viable X-band candidate solution and leapfrogged the bulk of the material properties analysis to evaluate the electrical stability of the laminate at 1000°F. The electrical results are outstanding. Initial electrical tests at Raytheon's Rapid Heating Electrical Test Apparatus (RHETA) proved successful and reports indicate that an electrically stable laminate has been developed. The Bulk Permittivity (e) of MSI's test coupons for a half-wave laminate from 11< f >13 GHz were measured to be 3.45 +/- 0.01; less than 1-½% variation at 1000°F for up to 90 seconds. Tests timed out after this duration. Loss tangent measurements were also found to be very stable under these test conditions and were measured at 0.008 +/- 0.001. The objective of this follow-on phase for the program is to generate a materials database that outlines the operating parameters of this laminate configuration, for specific X-band systems, such as AMRAAM, and Standard Missile.