BAE Systems’ FAST Labs research and development organization has received a contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to tackle thermal challenges associated with electronic warfare systems.
Under the award, BAE Systems will support the agency’s Technologies for Heat Removal in Electronics at the Device Scale initiative, or THREADS, which intends to address temperature limits at the transistor scale, the company announced from Merrimack, New Hampshire on Tuesday.
Caprice Gray, director of device materials and manufacturing research at BAE Systems’ FAST Labs, noted the “longstanding challenge” of excessive heat in electronics for the aerospace and defense industry.
Temperature issues have historically prevented military systems that use radio frequency electronics from operating at their full theoretical limits. Fixing this problem could nearly triple the range of RF-based systems.
The THREADS program specifically aims to explore new materials and methods of diffusing heat that diminishes performance and mission life for monolithic microwave integrated circuits. Gallium nitride devices are THREADS’ main focus.
“With material and process enhancements, we are on the verge of overcoming this challenge and doing so will unleash the hidden potential in mission critical electronic warfare and other RF-based systems,” said Gray.
The new contract is valued at $12 million. While carrying out its responsibilities, BAE Systems will lean on past experience in microelectronics development and work alongside Modern Microsystems and four universities.
BAE Systems recently received $35 million in funding for another microelectronics project under the CHIPS & Science Act. With this investment, BAE Systems will optimize its Microelectronics Center in Nashua, New Hampshire.
