DARPA dishes out more cash for GaN
TriQuint Semiconductor is the prime contractor in a $15.8 million military-funded project to develop GaN-based high-power, wide band amplifiers and packaging technology.
The project, which is funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), also features BAE Systems, Emcore, II-VI, Lockheed Martin and Nitronex. It could double in value if the initial three-year phase is successful.
Northrop Grumman recently won a similar amount of funding to develop GaN technology (see related story), under a DARPA project that also involves Raytheon and Cree.
The goals of the TriQuint program include production of a 100 W, 30% power-added efficiency amplifier operating at 2-20 GHz.
If the development is a success, GaN HEMT devices could be used in high-power phased array radar systems, electronic warfare and communications links.
Also involved in the TriQuint effort are Michael Shur from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Jesus del Alamo from the Massachussetts Institute of Technology.
Material optimization, device and MMIC development and validation, and module demonstration are key goals of the project, which emphasizes reliability, high device yield, uniformity and reproducibility.
"At the end of the five-year program, TriQuint will have a reliable, reproducible and stable GaN process suitable for [defense] and commercial applications," said the Hillsboro, OR, company.
"TriQuint looks forward to providing high-volume, cost-effective foundry services and standard products based on GaN."
