Power Supply and RF Signal Routing Architecture Design for Ultralight Deployable Ka-Band Active Phased-Array Transceivers

The paper introduces a power supply and Radio Frequency (RF) signal routing architecture design for a foldable phased array transceiver intended for next-generation space communication systems. The transceiver is built using four 6-layer rigid-flexible substrates, enabling a high layer count and complex electrical routing. Using a DC-DC converter and changing the voltage from 5.5V to 1.2V reduces power loss by 43%. Three types of transmission lines are used to enable folding. These lines allow for complex, low-loss RF distribution. A prototype rigid flexible board was fabricated for evaluation, and power supply and RF were evaluated.