Applications of Semiconductor Devices in Military

7/27/2019 Applications of Semiconductor Devices in Military

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SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

(EESB 313)

REPORT: APPLICATION OF SEMICONDUCTOR

DEVICES IN MILITARY

GROUP MEMBERS (SECTION 2)

NAME (ID) JOB DESCRIPTION

MOHAMMAD AZMI

(EE 087705)

UNMANNED AERIAL

VEHICLE

MOHD HAZWAN

(EE 088117)

WALKIE TALKIE

MOHD SHAHRIZA

(EE 087709)

GLOBAL POSITIONING

SYSTEM

PAUL NATHAN(EE 087731)

RADAR

WONG HUN WEY

(EE088142)

MISSILE GUIDANCE

SYSTEM

LECTURER: DR. YAP BOON KAR


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Table of ContentsIntroduction ................................................................................................................. 2

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) ................................................................................ 3

Walkie-Talkie .............................................................................................................. 5Global Positioning System .......................................................................................... 6

Radar .......................................................................................................................... 7

Missile Guidance System ........................................................................................... 9

Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 11


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Introduction

In electrical engineering the type of material used have unceasingly been a

vital constituent, from discovering very good electric conductors that can transfer veryhigh amount of current to creating good insulators so that it can withstand highamount of voltage. No one can deny that semiconductors have clearly changed theworld beyond imagination. Semiconductor is a material that partially conductselectricity. The usage of semiconductors also reduces the size of any device and thusincreasing the mobility and flexibility of the device. Furthermore the operation ofsemiconductors can help a certain device to produce a specific outcome. Thisreduces the space and cost consumed in the construction of the device compared tothe time before where many elements need to be added to regulate the device.Examples of the usage of semiconductors can be seen in hand phones, computers,printers and many more.

In this report, we would like to focus on the application and the utility ofsemiconductor devices in military. The military utilizes much equipment for combat onsea, land and air. Combat includes defensive and offensive positions.Semiconductors devices play a role in making the equipment easy to use, mobile andversatile. Some military tools require good imaging and better sensors. Here is wheresemiconductors come in. There are many types of semiconductors that can be used,for example silicon, germanium and gallium arsenide. These semiconductors areincorporated to the devices which are then inserted to the equipment that is used incombat.

There is various equipment or tools used in military but in this report, we aregoing to discuss only five of them. The first is the unmanned aerial vehicle orpopularly called the UAV. These vehicles are able to operate without the pilot beingdirectly in them. Secondly is an age-old technology that is the walkie-talkie which isvital for communication in the military. Next is the global positioning system or brieflycalled the GPS. The GPS superiorly replaces the traditional compass in findingdirection and determining the position of a certain target. After that we will elaborateon radar. The radar is able to detect threats and obstacles early on so that themilitary unit can take defensive measures to avoid any attack. Lastly, we woulddescribe about the missile guidance system. Compared before times where missileswere launched and after that it goes its own, the missile guidance system helps the

missile to hit accurately on the target and avoid destroying friendly bases. All thesedevices will be further explained in the next pages of this report.


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Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)

One of the contributions of semiconductor is the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle orUAV. The UAV as the name suggest, is an aircraft that does not required a pilot onboard and it has the ability to fly and perform mission or task on its own controlled by

a personnel on the ground. This advanced technology allows the UAV to fly on itsown according to the desire altitude, speed, communications, directions and so on.

[1]The UAV is designed to perform any task such as target and decoy,reconnaissance, combat, research and development and also for civil andcommercial purposes. Even commercials airliner jet that fly with two pilots need thecomplex computerize program to help them to fly the aircraft smoothly. Then how canan unmanned aircraft take off, fly, performed tasks, landed safely? This is where allthe semiconductor sensors take place.

Sensors are essentials for UAV to ensure that it can fly smoothly in anyconditions. Either altitude sensors, radar sensors, temperature or pressure sensorare very important so that the aircraft can react and overcome immediately if any ofthe sensors detect any unstable activity.

[19]The Image on the right is the KMA220 sensor. It has a dualchannel magnetic angle sensor module that contains the requiredcapacitors, Integrated Circuits and sensor bridges that are integratedinto a single package. This sensor allows the ground engineers to pre-program the required angular range, zero angle and clamping voltagesfor each channel separately. Among the benefits of this sensor are, theprecision sensor for magnetic angular measurement is high, and theadjustment for zero angle and angular range area programmable by theengineers. This sensors has the ability to withstand a temperaturerange up to 160 C. Also, it has the ability to detect any magnet lossand also power loss.

KMA220

Left : Sensors and cameras installed underneath the UAV

Right : Image captured by UAV camera

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)


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[1] [2]Aside from sensor that gives information about the surroundings, anotheraspects that must be taken into considerations is power. The ability of a UAV to beon air is fully dependant on internal combustion of fuel by the aircrafts engine. Thefuel burn which is proportional to the total weight of the aircraft and also the flightdurations may cause limitations on flight hour. To overcome this problem, the UAVengineer uses solar energy as an alternative so that the flight hour can bemaximised. Solar power can hold the UAV for a potential of unlimited flight.

Solar panels are one of the contributions of semiconductor applications. Theconcept is very simple. [2]Solar panel uses sun light as a source to generateelectrical power via photovoltaic effect.

[1]But due to the current

technology, the UAV still needs moremodification in the future. The mostimportant technology that is required forthis aircraft is autonomy technology.Autonomy is defined as the ability to makeinteractions or decisions without humanintervention. For this to work, aspect suchas sensor fusion, communications, motionplanning, trajectory generation, taskallocation and scheduling must beimproved. As future engineers, it is our

main responsibility to ensure a betterquality and be more innovative in terms oftechnology to ensure a better future sothat we can have a better nation.

[18]Image sensors and data collection is veryessential to an aircraft especially for UAV. The ability forthe UAV to be an agent for border patrol, coastal patroland even reconnaissance (Military observation of aregion to locate an enemy or ascertain strategicfeatures) is highly demand by any national militarydepartment to ensure the safety of the nation. This is

where the use of smaller scale spectrometers, datacollection, imaging and sensor technologies took placein order to achieve the main purpose of the UAV. This iswhere all of the semiconductors application play theirrole. All basic gadgets installed on the UAV consist ofvery basic semiconductor devices such as the transistor,capacitor and so on.

Thermal Infrared - Visual EO Sensors

Image shows the basic semiconductor solar

panel


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Walkie-Talkie

Walkie-talkies are hand held devices that allow two or more people tocommunicate using radio waves. They are also known as a two way radio. Two way

radios transmit (send) and receive radio communication signals. Another term for adevice like this is a transceiver. Two-way radio systems usually operate in a half-duplex mode; that is, the operator can talk, or he can listen, but not at the same time.A push-to-talk or Press To Transmit button activates the transmitter; when it isreleased the receiver is active. A mobile phone or cellular telephone is an example ofa two-way radio that both transmits and receives at the same time (called full-duplexmode). It uses two different radio frequencies (channels) to carry the two directions ofthe conversation simultaneously. [3]

A walkie-talkie contains sixmain parts which is the transmitter,

receiver, crystal, speaker,microphone, and power source.The transmitter sends voice, after ithas been made into a radio signal,to the other walkie-talkie. Thereceiver picks up the radio signalthat the transmitter from the otherwalkie-talkie is sent. The crystalsets the frequency (also known aschannel) that the walkie-talkies areon. They must be on the same

frequency in order to communicate.The speaker is the part that takesthe signal picked up by the receiverand amplifies it, so it can be heard.The microphone is the part that youspeak into, and it converts yourvoice into electric signals. It is the

exact opposite of the speaker which converts electric signals in voices. The powersource is a type of battery, and sometimes these are rechargeable. [4]

Some walkie-talkies also have switches to change frequencies, so people donot hear other conversations by users sharing the same frequency. Also, some unitscan be used aspagers and somecell phones evenhave walkie-talkiesbuilt into them.

Waklie Talkie

Simple circuit of a walkie [20]


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Global Positioning System

The Global Positioning System, GPS is one of the products that used thesemiconductor device to make the system works. GPS is a satellite navigationsystem that helps to provides location and time information. It works anywhere in the

earth unless if there is any obstructed line ofsight to four or more GPS satellites. The GPSproject was started since 1973 but it becamefully operational in 1994. GPS was found bythe U.S Department of Defence. It wascreated by Roger L. Easton. In military, GPSis used to get the accurate target of varioustypes of military weapons. [5]

GPS is used to determine the position of a place by estimating how far away asatellite from the GPS receiver. A GPS receiver will track the location of the satellitethrough the satellite transmission when the receiver is located at the spheresintersect.

Each GPS satellite will transmits data ofits location and current time. The transmissionsignal is moving at the speed of light. Byestimating the time of the signals to reach to thereceiver, it can help to determine the distance to

the GPS satellite. In order for the receiver toestimate the distance it need at least four GPSsatellites. [6]

In order to build an open GPS tracker we should have the following item :voltage supply, PNP transistor, capacitor M50 connector for GPS device, stereo plugfor phone, 14 IC socket, red and green LED, switching diode, battery holder, GPSreceiver module, and USB AVR programmer. [7]

Army Deploy First Guided Mortar

Four GPS Satellites

GPS Tracker device

GPS Tracker circuit


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Radar

Radar is a system which detects objectsusing radio waves, specifically microwaves. The

radar is able to identify the range, altitude,direction and speed of an object in its field ofvision. Actually the word RADAR is anabbreviation from the elaborate term, RadioDetection And Ranging. The radar can be used todetermine anything that cannot be detected by thenaked eye such as guided missiles, weatherformations and ships. The fundamental way ofhow radar works is a radar dish which can be upto 100 feet in diameter emits pulses of radiowaves which hits any object in its path of beam

and reflects a small amount of energy to a receivertypically located at the same place as the radar

dish. The energy received can be translated to all kinds of data to determine theobjects characteristics. [8]

In the beginning of the development of radartechnology, it was secretly cultivated by countries duringand before World War 2. Before World War 2, there aremany designs which are primitive to the radar. The firstperson who suggested the object detecting device wasAlexander Popov, a physics instructor in Imperial Navy

School in 1897. [8] Later, other scientists, such asChristian Hulsmeyer and Nikola Tesla, produced theirown ideas of an object detecting device. In 1934, GreatBritain used it in military as a defence against aerialintrusion. They built a network of radar systems at theBritish Isles called Chain Home. This aided them toconstruct a better defence system during World War 2.[9] [8]

There are many types of radars, where each of them carries distinct functions.1. Surveillance Radars

a. To identify aircraft, guided missiles and any aerial object.b. Fixed or moving surface targetsc. Tracking multiple targetsd. Air traffic managemente. Air defence

2. Meteorological radarsa. Weather forecastb. Early warning for any natural disaster

3. Imaging radarsa. Mapping objects

b. Space observation [10] [11]The highlight is on the surveillance radars because of its dominance in the military.

Israeli military radar is typicalof the type of radar [21]

A Chain Home tower in GreatBaddow, United Kingdom [8]


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The early designs of radars were just a basic transmitter which transmitselectromagnetic waves and reflects back. In the 1940s, semiconductors wereintroduced in the production of radars. This is because during World War 2, a properimage of the object to be detected is needed. Here is where the semiconductor

technology comes in. The radar receivers must have solid state rectifiers or crystalsto translate the receiving microwave signals to ultra-high frequencies using vacuumtube diodes. [12] [13]

The leading choices of semiconductors are germanium and silicon. For thediode to work efficiently, the semiconductors must be as pure as possible. Thesepure elements are later doped with specific impurities so that they will perform inaccord to the wanted outcome. Seymour Benzer of Purdue University later

discovered that the best type of semiconductor isgermanium. This is because they are the bestdetectors. However, due to the ever changing radar

signals the crystals are unable to withstand thevarying signals and would often burn out. Due tothis problem Purdue University, University ofChicago, Massachusetts Institute of Technologyand Bell Labs worked in synergy to construct bettercrystals. [12] [13]

The crystal rectifier diodes have a tiny metalpoint which slightly touches the selectedsemiconductors inside of it. This crystal rectifiersobjective is to convert the reflected signal from anydetected object into the direct current (DC) which isvital for visualization on screen. These types ofdiodes were commonly used in the Allied radar

receivers.[12] [13]

Cross section of 2 common ww2rectifiers [12]

Examples of ww2 type 1N21crystal rectifiers [12]


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Missile Guidance System

A very popular usage on semiconductor in the defence sector is in the missileguidance system. In order for a missile to hit its target, an embedded computer isinserted into the missile. This embedded computer will then be link to either acomputer in the command centre (so the missile can be controlled manually) or aradar/GPS system for automatic targeting.

The first missile guidance system wasdeveloped by Nazi Germany for its V-2 rocketsduring World War 2. These rockets utilised analogcomputers, called Mischgert, to control the angleof projection and distance. The analog computerwill receive radio signals from the gyroscopes andaccelerometer installed in the rockets and makesthe necessary adjustment through calculation soas to maintain the rocket in its trajectory course.The analog computer then sends back signals tothe gyroscopes for adjustment or to the controlsystem of the engine to cut off the enginewhenever a certain distance has been achieved.Later version of the V-2 rockets used radio signals

transmitted from the ground to control the missile.[14] [15]

As Integrated Circuit (IC) technologyadvance, so does the capability of the missileguidance system. The Minuteman missile utiliseda semiconductor Small-Scale Integration (SSI)circuit as a lightweight digital computer. Thisgreatly improves the reliability and accuracy of theguidance system because unlike analogcomputers, digital computers are immune toelectrical and noise interference. Besides that, thesize and weight of the guidance system is reducedand its survivability in a nuclear environment is

increased (since Minuteman is designed fornuclear warfare). [16] Modern guidance systemuses radiation-hardened semiconductor in order toprevent ionizing particles from damaging thesystem in a nuclear or radioactive environment, thusfurther increasing the durability of the system in theevent of a nuclear warfare. [17]

As the military landscape shifts from large scale war like in the two World

Wars to small scale proxy battle that emerge during the Cold War till today, it is no

longer practical anymore for the usage of intercontinental ballistic missile like the V-2

and the Minuteman. Nowadays, modern missiles are smaller and lighter which canbe mounted on vessels, vehicles and aircrafts to suit the tactical needs of the army.

The Minuteman missile, theearliest missile to usedigital computer

The Mischgert, the computerthat was used to guide the V-2rockets


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Hence, there is a need to further reinvigorate the designs of the missile guidance

system to make it simpler, lighter, cheaper, less power consuming and yet equally if

not more effective so that they can fit into slimmer missiles. This is where

semiconductors play a huge role. As IC chips keep getting smaller and cheaper due

to advance in technology and mass production, it enables the design of much

smaller, lighter, cost-effective and less complicated guidance systems.

Semiconductor also contributes another crucial factor in missile development;

improvement in user-friendliness due to it being less complicated. This is important

because often soldiers/pilots need to make life-or-death decisions in a split second.

Hence, semiconductor helps in simplifying the control system until nowadays where a

user need to only press a few buttons in order to fire the missile and guide it towards

the target. [18]

An example of a modern missile guidance system for aircraft missile.

This system uses Medium-Scale Integrated devices such as register.


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Conclusion

Gone are the days where large scale wars between nations are fought; yet

many still see the need to keep improving on their military technology. This isbecause in order to maintain stability and subsequently facilitate growth, militarystrength is needed as a deterrent force. Hence the usage of semiconductor in militaryapplication plays a huge role in maintaining that much-sought-after stability.

Generally, semiconductor enables the fusion of the electronic aspects intomodern weapon systems such as data processing. For example, one key aspect ofwar is intelligence. Without semiconductors, it will not be possible to develop either aGlobal Positioning System or even a simple radar which can detect enemymovement. Another example is the ability to undertake long distance warfare.Without semiconductor, there will be no walkie-talkie to communicate. Soldiers fromdifferent area will not be able to coordinate with each other. Without semiconductor,there will be no missile guidance system to accurately guide the missiles to theirintended target. Finally, semiconductor reduces the risk of casualty. Withoutsemiconductor, there will be no unmanned vehicles to guard a large territory non-stopor undertake dangerous mission.


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[2] t. f. e. Wikipedia, "Solar panel," Wikipedia, 25 June 2013. [Online]. Available:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_panel. [Accessed June 2013].

[3] t. f. e. Wikipedia, "Two-way radio," Wikipedia, 16 May 2013. [Online]. Available:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-way_radio#Life_of_equipment. [Accessed June 2013].

[4] Keegan, "Walkie-Talkies," Oracle ThinkQuest, 15 November 2004. [Online]. Available:

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[6] Smithsonian, "How does GPS Work," National Air and Space Museum, 1998. [Online]. Available:

http://airandspace.si.edu/gps/work.html. [Accessed June 2013].

[7] Mike, "Open GPS Tracker," Opengpstracker.org, [Online]. Available:

http://www.opengpstracker.org/index.html. [Accessed Jun 2013].

[8] B. Hatheway, "The History of Radar," Windows to the Universe, 11 June 2010. [Online].

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[Accessed 11 June 2013].

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_radar. [Accessed 1 June 2013].

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[11] t. f. e. Wikipedia, "Radar configurations and types," Wikipedia, 6 February 2013. [Online].

Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radar_configurations_and_types. [Accessed 1 June

2013].

[12] C. H. Museum, "1941 - Semiconductor diode rectifiers serve in WW II," The Silicon Engine, 2007.

[Online]. Available: http://www.computerhistory.org/semiconductor/timeline/1941-

semiconductor.html. [Accessed 1 June 2013].

[13] Ira, "Radar During World War II," Public Broadcasting Service, 1999. [Online]. Available:

http://www.pbs.org/transistor/background1/events/radar.html. [Accessed 1 June 2013].

[14] B. King and T. J. Kutta, Impact: The History of Germany's V-Weapons in World War II, New York:

Sarpedon Publishers, 1998.


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[15] t. f. e. Wikipedia, "Inertial navigation system," Wikipedia, 19 April 2013. [Online]. Available:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inertial_navigation_system. [Accessed 3 June 2013].

[16] H. M. Kristensen, "Minuteman Weapon System History and Description," July 2001. [Online].

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[17] t. f. e. Wikipedia, "Radiation hardening," Wikipedia, 2 June 2013. [Online]. Available:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiation_hardening. [Accessed 4 June 2013].

[18] UAVM, "Imaging Sensors and Data Collection," UAV Marketspace, [Online]. Available:

http://www.uavm.com/uavsubsystems/imagingdatasensors.html. [Accessed June 2013].

[19] NXP, "KMA220, Dual channel programmable angle sensor," NXP Semiconductors, [Online].

Available: http://www.nxp.com/products/sensors/angular_sensors/KMA220.html. [Accessed

June 2013].

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radar. [Accessed 1 June 2013].

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Applications of Semiconductor Devices in Military

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