CMOS Systems-on-Chip for NASA Radiometry and Spectroscopy from microwave to THz

In this workshop we will first introduce the exciting Earth science, planetary science, and astrophysics investigations that are performed by JPL and NASA that employ RF sensing from microwave to terahertz frequencies. Then we will describe several recent results by instruments operating in these wavelength regimes. Next we will then discuss the important role CMOS system-on-chip (SoC) technology now plays in these instruments for LO generation, and signal processing, and the fundamental challenges (noise, extreme temperatures and radiation effects) that CMOS based instruments face in delivering the high level of fidelity required for NASA’s science investigations. The talk will discuss several examples of CMOS SoC-based instruments from NASA programs including a 600 GHz side-band separated spectrometer being developed for investigations of Europa, Titan, Enceladus, and several NASA radiometer instruments for observing Earth’s atmosphere to diagnose precipitation and extreme weather events, as well as lower frequency radiometers for observations of ice and snow.