RF sensors to get GaN boost under DARPA, Raytheon agreement
NewsNovember 21, 2023
ANDOVER, Mass. Raytheon won a four-year, $15 million contract from DARPA [the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency] to increase the electronic capability of radio frequency (RF) sensors using high-power-density gallium nitride (GaN) transistors.
According to information from Raytheon, the enhanced transistors -- aimed at use in radar systems to improve range and radar resource management handling -- will have 16 times higher output power than traditional GaN parts, but with no corresponding increase in operating temperature.
Raytheon is partnering with the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Stanford University, and Diamond Foundry to grow diamond for integration with military-grade GaN transistors and circuits,as diamond is the best thermal conductor on earth; also providing technology and performance analysis are Cornell University, Michigan State University, the University of Maryland, and Penn State University.
Work under the Raytheon/DARPA contract is being conducted at the Raytheon facility in Andover, Massachusetts.
