GXSC Phase-Shaping Multifunction Chip Replaces ADMV4680 for Low-Earth Orbit Satellite User Terminals, Offering Low Mass Production Costs

Satellite communication is a mature method for transmitting voice, video, and data, widely deployed across all major orbital planes. It is recognized as an effective means for delivering GPS navigation signals, weather information, television broadcasts, voice, and data, while also serving imaging and scientific applications.

Low Earth Orbit satellite user terminals enable high-speed, stable communication with LEO satellites, facilitating signal transmission and reception. Guoxin Sicheng‘s Ku-band 4-channel half-duplex beamforming chip is specifically designed for phased array antenna systems. This chip covers the Ku satellite communication reception (10.7–12.7 GHz) and transmission (14–14.5 GHz) bands, precisely aligning with the mainstream Ku-band used in LEO satellite communications. It eliminates the need for additional frequency conversion components and can directly interface with the RF front-end of LEO satellite user terminals, enabling efficient satellite signal transmission and reception.

The chip integrates 4 receive channels, 4 transmit channels, and corresponding power combining/splitting networks, representing a highly integrated silicon-based beamforming solution. By integrating 4 T/R channels, power divider/combiner networks, T/R switches, power detectors, and temperature sensors onto a single die, it achieves a compact die size that significantly reduces PCB layout space, enabling smaller and lighter terminal designs. Each receive and transmit channel supports 6-bit amplitude and 6-bit phase control.

Key product advantages include:

1. Performance-compatible replacement for ADMV4680

2. CMOS process technology enables low-cost mass production

3. High transmit/receive gain ≥25dB

4. High transmit output power OP-1d8 ≥11dBm

5. Low power consumption

This device employs a 4-wire standard SPI logic for register configuration and control, supporting bias adjustment, channel enable/disable control, transmit/receive switching, etc. Additionally, the single chip features five address pins (ADD0~ADD4) to enable serial control of up to 32 chips in an application. Internal beam storage facilitates rapid beam state switching. The chip operates on a 1.2V main supply, with digital pin 10 powered by 3.3V and digital pin I0 using standard 3.3V CMOS logic.

Performance Specifications:

 Receive: 10.7–12.7 GHz

 Transmit: 14–14.5 GHz

 Receive/Transmit: Time-Division Half-Duplex

 4T4R RF Channels with Integrated IF/Synthesizer Network

 Phase Control: 360° Range / 6-bit / LSB=5.6°

 Amplitude Control: 31.5dB Range / 6-bit / LSB=0.5dB

 Receive NF ~3dB

Integrated temperature sensor

Integrated quantized ADC

Integrated 4-channel power detector

Integrated beam storage

Dedicated pin for transceiver state switching

4-wire SPI control

WLCSP (BGA) surface-mount package

Integrated bias and channel control