TriQuint Semiconductor Inc. announced that it has been selected by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to lead a $12.3 million development program focused on ultra-fast gallium nitride (GaN) switch technology for the Microscale Power Conversion (MPC) program. TriQuint’s revolutionary new GaN modulator has the potential to enable highly-efficient RF transmitters substantially smaller than current solutions.

TriQuint was selected by DARPA as the prime contractor for MPC Technical Area I, which seeks to develop a high-speed, DC-to-DC switch (modulator) and related process technology based on the company’s innovative enhancement-mode GaN transistors. TriQuint’s technology aims to improve the integration of power switches with advanced RF amplifiers to facilitate ultra-high efficiency, reduced-size amplifiers for radar and communications applications.

TriQuint has been a pioneer in GaN development and research since 1999. TriQuint currently leads multiple GaN process and manufacturing technology initiatives for DARPA including the Nitride Electronic NeXt-Generation Technology (NEXT) program as well as endeavors for the US Air Force, Army and Naval laboratories.  

TriQuint is already exploring and bringing derivative devices to market made possible by milestones achieved in its many GaN programs. “The break-through performance demonstrated in ‘NEXT’ has helped us develop new devices, like our GaN power switches, that will open up additional radar and communications applications. We can substantially improve performance in these types of systems,” said TriQuint Vice President and General Manager for Defense Products and Foundry Services, James L. Klein. “This work is also leading to lower voltage GaN-based products. We see many exciting opportunities to develop more advanced RF amplifiers with integrated power switches.”

The enhancement mode power switching device for the MPC program will be designed to have a blocking voltage of 200 volts, ultra-low dynamic on resistance of 1 ohm-mm and a slew rate of 500 volts per nanosecond. These capabilities will provide state-of-the-art solid-state technology. RF amplifiers employing these switches will target 75% system efficiency at X-band (8-12 GHz).

TriQuint is teamed with Rockwell Collins, the University of Colorado at Boulder and Northrop Grumman — Technical Area II contractors — to create a new generation of RF power amplifiers that use contour modulation for very high efficiency performance that exceeds the capabilities of devices now available. Design approaches focusing on miniature system-in-a-package or monolithic integration to combine TriQuint’s switch/modulator with the power amplifier micro-system will be given preference. 

TriQuint Gallium Nitride Product Innovation, Honors & Resources:

 

Heritage

Leader in defense and commercial GaN research since 1999

Research

Leader in performance and reliability GaN development

University Partners

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Notre Dame and

University of Colorado at Boulder

The Global GaN Impact

Strategy Analytics recognizes TriQuint’s GaN R&D / GaN Product Innovation

Active R&D programs

DARPA NEXT program for highly complex, high frequency GaN MMICs

 

Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III program for GaN on SiC; Radar and

EW MMICs: Air Force and Navy sponsors

 

DARPA Microscale Power Conversion program to develop ultra-fast GaN power

switch technology that is integrated into next-generation amplifiers

 

DARPA Near Junction Thermal Transport (NJTT) GaN program to increase

circuit power handling capabilities through enhanced thermal management

 

Army Research Laboratory (ARL) Cooperative Research and Development

Agreement (CRADA) to jointly develop advanced GaN circuits

Recent Honors

2011 ‘Compound Semiconductor’ CS Industry Award for DARPA NEXT;

2012 CS Industry Award for DARPA MPC program

GaN Products

Wide selection of innovative GaN amplifiers, transistors and switches

GaN Foundry

0.25-micron GaN on SiC; 100mm wafers; DC-18 GHz applications