Shenzhen Mingjiada Electronics Co., Ltd. supplies and recycles the Qorvo AWS-0103 X-band silicon beamformer, suitable for radar and 5G phased array applications.
The Qorvo AWS-0103 is a highly integrated, silicon-based, quad-core beamforming integrated circuit operating in the 8.5–10.55 GHz X-band, specifically designed for active phased array radar and 5G millimetre-wave phased array base station systems. The device integrates a complete beam control chain, supports four-channel antenna units, and features a single-beam transmission and dual-beam reception architecture. Leveraging high-linearity RF characteristics and precise digital amplitude and phase control, it effectively optimises the size, weight, power consumption and overall cost (SWaP-C) of phased array systems, making it a mainstream RF core component for X-band AESA arrays.
I. AWS-0103 Core Hardware Architecture and Key Features
1. Operating Frequency Range
The standard X-band radar frequency range of 8.5 GHz to 10.55 GHz makes it ideally suited for meteorological radars, security detection radars, lightweight airborne active phased array systems, and 5G high-frequency active antenna systems.
2. Channel Capabilities
A single chip drives four antenna radiating elements;
Transmit path: single-beam output
Receive path: dual-beam parallel reception
The dual-receive-beam architecture enables functions such as single-pulse angle measurement and dual-polarisation reception, significantly enhancing radar target angle measurement accuracy and anti-jamming capability.
3. Digital Amplitude and Phase Control
Integrated 6-bit phase control + 6-bit gain control, enabling independent amplitude and phase configuration for each channel; built-in on-chip beam weighting registers support microsecond-level rapid beam switching and beamforming, meeting the requirements for continuous multi-target tracking and electronic scanning agility.
4. Key RF Performance Features
Positioned as a high-linearity beamforming chip (with the AWS-0101 in the same series emphasising low noise and the AWS-0103 focusing on high input linearity), the receiver channels exhibit excellent linearity, suppressing signal distortion in complex electromagnetic environments and demonstrating outstanding resistance to adjacent-channel interference; the transmit chain provides a stable gain output, capable of directly driving downstream RF front-end modules.
5. Control and Power Supply Design
Standard SPI digital interface supporting multi-chip daisy-chain cascading, simplifying large-scale array cabling and reducing the consumption of host controller I/O resources;
Single 1.8 V positive power supply, simplifying the power supply scheme;
Package: 7 mm × 7 mm, 56-pin PQFN compact package, facilitating embedding within the grid of tile-based phased array antenna units and suitable for slim, flat-panel array designs.
II. Typical AWS-0103 Integration Solutions
The AWS-0103 can be combined with the Qorvo AWMF-0106 X-band RF front-end IC (integrating a power amplifier, low-noise amplifier and transmit/receive switch) to form a complete transceiver chipset, creating a plug-and-play RF solution for phased array antennas.
This integrated solution eliminates the need for a large number of discrete RF components, significantly reducing the hardware development cycle, and is widely used in lightweight, high-power active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars.
III. Target Application Scenarios for the AWS-0103
1. Radar System Applications
Weather observation radars, low-altitude security surveillance radars, port/shore-based detection radars
Lightweight airborne AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radars
Small-scale synthetic aperture radars (SAR) mounted on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)
Single-pulse tracking radars, multi-target electronic scanning detection systems
The dual-beam reception capability enables high-precision target angle measurement, whilst its high linearity performance is well-suited to complex electromagnetic detection environments in high-density urban areas.
2. 5G and Broadband Communication Phased Arrays
5G high-frequency band active smart antennas
Point-to-point broadband wireless communication phased array terminals
Ground-based mobile communication electronic scanning antennas
IV. Summary of the AWS-0103 Solution’s Value
Compared to traditional beamforming networks built using discrete phase shifters and attenuators, the AWS-0103 employs a highly integrated silicon-based solution that offers multiple advantages:
Enhanced integration: Four-channel beamforming is achieved on a single chip, reducing the number of peripheral components and minimising the footprint of the array board;
System simplification: The SPI cascading architecture reduces the complexity of control wiring for large-scale arrays, shortening the R&D and debugging cycle;
Flexible Application Adaptability: The single-transmit + dual-receive architecture accommodates both communication and radar requirements, supporting single-pulse angle measurement and dual-polarisation reception;
Cost Control: Silicon-based manufacturing processes facilitate large-scale mass production, balancing RF performance with component costs;
Form Factor Advantages: The compact QFN package is suitable for tile arrays and lightweight planar antennas, making it ideal for deployment on airborne, vehicle-mounted and portable platforms.
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