Hardware Introduction

The X-Band Phased Array Development Platform consists of three main evaluation boards that work together to provide a complete hybrid beamforming phased array system. The platform is designed to demonstrate phased array concepts for radar, electronic warfare, and SATCOM applications.

System Components

The X-Band Development Platform consists of 3 main parts, all designed to work together:

1. AD9081-FMCA-EBZ MxFE Evaluation Board

   The MxFE board provides the digital signal processing and data conversion capabilities. It features high-speed ADCs and DACs with flexible digital processing.

2. ADXUD1AEBZ X/C Band Up/Down Converter

   The up/down converter translates between X-Band RF frequencies and C-Band IF frequencies, providing the frequency translation needed for the system.

3. ADAR1000EVAL1Z X/Ku-Band Analog Beamforming Board (Stingray)

   The analog beamforming board provides 32-channel phased array capability with individual phase and amplitude control for each channel.

4. Xilinx ZCU102 Evaluation Board (Not Included)

   The FPGA development board provides the processing platform and interfaces with the MxFE board via FMC connector.

Architecture Overview

The X-Band platform implements a hybrid beamforming architecture combining:

• 32-channel analog beamforming via ADAR1000 ICs

• 4-channel digital beamforming via AD9081 MxFE

• X-Band to C-Band frequency conversion via ADXUD1A

• FPGA-based control and processing via ZCU102

This hybrid approach provides the efficiency of analog beamforming with the flexibility of digital processing, enabling complex radar, EW, and SATCOM applications.

• AD9081 MxFE
• ADXUD1A Up/Down Converter
• ADAR1000 Beamforming Board
• System Integration
• Clocking Architecture
• Time Division Duplexing

Note

For detailed specifications and schematics for each board, please refer to the individual evaluation board documentation linked in the Resources section.