DARPA, Raytheon look to triple Gallium Nitride power handling ability
NewsApril 13, 2012
TEWKSBURY, Mass. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) officials tasked Raytheon engineers with developing next-generation Gallium Nitride devices bonded to diamond substrates ? or Thermally Enhanced Gallium Nitride (TEGaN). Under the the 18-month, $1.8 million contract Raytheon engineers will look to increase GaN device power handling capability of GaN devices by at least a factor of three.
TEGaN enables transistors and monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) to reach their performance potential by cutting down on thermal resistance. TEGaN essentially acts as a multiplier for GaN's characteristics, which could dramatically reduce the cost, size, weight, and power of military systems. During the contract, Raytheon will look to develop and test TEGaN's capabilities to establish a clear path for technology insertion into military systems.
GaN can enable electronic warfare, radar, and communications systems to be more efficient, affordable, and smaller.
Experts at Raytheon IDS' Advanced Technology group at the Integrated Air Defense Center in Andover, Mass., will perform the work for this contract.
