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green_ee
I remember when GaAs (gallium arsenide) was a hot research topic in the 1980's, ...
MetzelfelderP
It seems also very interesting in the context of low dislocation GaN from ...
TriQuint and U.S. military team up on gallium nitride ICs
Sylvie Barak
4/16/2012 4:25 PM EDT
SAN FRANCISCO--TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc. will work with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) to develop high-frequency and mixed signal integrated circuits (ICs) based on gallium nitride (GaN) technology.
The RF supplier signed a cooperative research and development agreement with ARL, giving military researchers access to TriQuint’s development, fabrication and packaging know-how, according to a statement. In return, ARL will provide designs and test circuits, said James L. Klein, TriQuint's vice president for defense products and foundry services.
TriQuint’s GaN process –in development since 1999-- has already been used by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for its Nitride Electronic NeXt-Generation (NEXT) program, as well as multiple other GaN process and manufacturing technology programs for the US Air Force, Army and Naval laboratories.
If successful, this latest research could help accelerate programs in communications, radar and even electronic warfare.

TriQuint said it hoped the agreement would stimulate high performance monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) development and advance state-of-the-art design programs.
Circuits created as part of the initiative will be based on TriQuint’s new E/D (enhancement-depletion mode) GaN technology.
The RF supplier signed a cooperative research and development agreement with ARL, giving military researchers access to TriQuint’s development, fabrication and packaging know-how, according to a statement. In return, ARL will provide designs and test circuits, said James L. Klein, TriQuint's vice president for defense products and foundry services.
TriQuint’s GaN process –in development since 1999-- has already been used by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for its Nitride Electronic NeXt-Generation (NEXT) program, as well as multiple other GaN process and manufacturing technology programs for the US Air Force, Army and Naval laboratories.
If successful, this latest research could help accelerate programs in communications, radar and even electronic warfare.

TriQuint said it hoped the agreement would stimulate high performance monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) development and advance state-of-the-art design programs.
Circuits created as part of the initiative will be based on TriQuint’s new E/D (enhancement-depletion mode) GaN technology.
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iniewski
4/16/2012 6:08 PM EDT
GaN technology is pretty hot in some academic circles (see presentations at CMOSET conference for example)...that fact that process has been in development since 1999 tells you it is an easy process to work with...Kris
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goafrit
4/17/2012 7:07 AM EDT
GaN seems to be getting a lot of buzz these days. If -TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc continues to dominate this market, they can as well become the force and open for major acquisition in the industry
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MetzelfelderP
4/17/2012 7:50 AM EDT
It seems also very interesting in the context of low dislocation GaN from companies like Ammono.
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green_ee
4/17/2012 5:42 PM EDT
I remember when GaAs (gallium arsenide) was a hot research topic in the 1980's, but it never got beyond niche markets because CMOS advancing way beyond expectations.
I almost have to laugh that 0.25um GaN is cutting-edge, and 25nm CMOS has been in volume production for more than a year now (flash memory). I say "almost" because 0.25um GaN can run a lot faster than 0.25um Si; I'm curious what kind of speeds will be attainable at smaller geometries.
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