Wideband GPS n-Plexer

ABSTRACT: Abstract This proposal addresses development of high performance, compact size, and light weight multiplexers including diplexers, triplexers, and quadruplexers for GPS applications (e.g. GPS III system). The proposed devices will support a bandwidth up to 45 MHz at each channel. The passband insertion losses will be less than 0.5 dB. To suppress interference between different channels and from out-of-band signals, the designed multiplexers will feature very sharp roll-offs near the passband edge (more than 55 dB suppression will be achieved between neighboring channels (e.g. L1 and L2, L2 and L5)). Moreover, for the robust operation of proposed devices, the effect of temperature to their performance will be considered in the Phase I of this project. Temperature compensating techniques will be applied during the design process. It is expected that the frequency shift caused by temperature change will be minimized in this way. Finally, to further shrink the size and weight of proposed n-plexers, we will explore innovative techniques to shrink the size of resonators applied in the n-plexers. Overall, the resulting devices will significantly improve the performance of multiplexers for next-generation GPS systems. BENEFIT: The proposed research will enable GPS systems to carry a flexible payload, as required for the GPS III systems. The n-plexers we will design will allow the GPS system to operate at a higher power without worrying about signal multipaction, with enough margin to allow for higher power operation in the future. Our planned designs provide wide bandwidth, separately covering each of the different GPS bands, with sharp roll offs outside of the bands to provide significant suppression between neighboring bands. Overall, the resulting devices will significantly improve the performance of multiplexers for next-generation GPS systems, even when operating in an electronically challenging environment to enhance mission planning and weapon system effectiveness.