Qorvo’s new Ku-band beamformer IC has been specifically designed to meet the increasing demand for compact, power-efficient SATCOM terminals supporting time-division duplexing (TDD).
TDD architectures allow a single antenna array to handle both transmit and receive functions, reducing system size and complexity. This enables the development of low-profile, electronically steerable terminals suitable for mobile and airborne platforms. Building on the company’s previous March release of Ku-band FDD beamformer ICs, this new device completes Qorvo’s scalable and versatile SATCOM portfolio, catering to both TDD and FDD terminal architectures.
The new TDD solution, the AWMF-0247, is ideally suited for terminals used in low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations, where power efficiency, performance, and cost are critical factors. It supports Ku-band operation from 13.75 to 14.5 GHz for transmit and 10.7 to 12.75 GHz for receive, ensuring full compatibility with current and upcoming SATCOM networks that require compact, electronically steerable antenna arrays. The device integrates transmit and receive functionalities into a single chip, significantly enhancing efficiency and signal quality. Notably, the AWMF-0247 reduces receive array power consumption by 40%, improves signal clarity by over 20%, and offers up to five times greater transmit efficiency compared to competing solutions. Even when EIRP (Effective Isotropic Radiated Power) efficiencies are comparable, Qorvo achieves these improvements with a much smaller die area, facilitating easier integration and more cost-effective terminal designs.
“The AWMF-0247 enables a new class of TDD-based SATCOM terminals that demand greater efficiency, integration, and signal performance. It provides customers with the tools to develop more capable, compact arrays while reducing power consumption and system costs,” said Ryan Jennings, Director of SATCOM & Systems Engineering at Qorvo.
