Microwave power module

It is a hybrid combination of solid-state and vacuum tube electronics, which encloses a solid-state power amplifier (SSPA), traveling wave tube amplifier (TWTA) and electronic power conditioning (EPC) modules into a single unit.

They may be applied wherever high power microwave amplification is required, and space is at a premium.

The concept was explored in detail by the 1989 Microwave Power Module Panel, supported by the US Naval Research Laboratory.

While the eventual goal was to design a power module with a cross section as small as a half square inch, most MPMs today are larger, and suitable only for line arrays, partially distributed arrays and single-module applications.

MPMs also include a microcontroller, which is responsible for controlling the operation of the module, such as making sure the various power supply voltages come up in the appropriate sequence to prevent damage to the TWT.