11 April 2012

DARPA awards Raytheon $1.8m TEGaN contract to develop GaN-on-diamond devices

Raytheon Company of Waltham, MA, USA has been awarded an 18-month, $1.8m contract by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop next-generation gallium nitride (GaN) devices bonded to diamond substrates. The Thermally Enhanced Gallium Nitride (TEGaN) technology seeks to increase the power-handling capability of GaN devices at least three-fold.

Raytheon says that TEGaN enables transistors and monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) to achieve their full performance potential by reducing thermal resistance. The technology acts as a multiplier for GaN’s unique qualities, which may dramatically reduce the cost, size, weight and power of defense systems. Over the course of the 18-month contract, Raytheon aims to develop and test TEGaN's capabilities and establish a clear path to technology insertion into military systems.

GaN is a core competency within Raytheon and an integral technology behind some of its major radar programs. The material’s unique qualities allow radar, electronic warfare and communications systems to be smaller, more affordable and highly efficient, notes the firm.

“We are pushing the envelope of this proven technology to provide our warfighters with the most advanced sensing, communications and electronic warfare capabilities in the world,” says Joe Biondi, VP of Advanced Technology for Raytheon’s Integrated Defense Systems (IDS) business of Tewksbury, MA.

Work for the contract will be performed by Raytheon IDS’ Advanced Technology group at the Integrated Air Defense Center in Andover, MA. The group specializes in contract R&D programs, particularly multi-function radar frequency systems and advanced semiconductors.

Tags: Raytheon GaN-on-diamond GaN

Visit: www.raytheon.com/capabilities/radar