Abstract
Vitesse has received a $6m DARPA contract to develop InP ICs for military communications, in collaboration with BAE Systems and the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign (UIUC). It will develop advanced manufacturing processes and communication ICs using its sub-micron VIP-2 InP HBT technology. The initial 18-month contract contains option phases, which, if implemented, would bring the total value of the contract to more than $15m. The contract allows Vitesse to enhance the capabilities of its VIP-2 process, selected for its ability to enhance speed, power, performance, circuit reliability and production-worthy manufacturing practices required for the DARPA specification. InP technology allows direct digital synthesis of high-frequency signals, simplifying the system design and reducing the number of discrete components required in advanced satellite, aircraft and terrestrial communication systems. Vitesse will collaborate with BAE Systems on the design of communications circuits; initially, these are for direct digital frequency synthesis (DDFS) for electronic warfare and radar applications. UIUC will focus on research for the next-generation transistor structures meant to further extend circuit performance and applications. A factor of two improvements in critical performance parameters has already been attained in early VIP-2 experiments at 0.45μ. Further scaling is planned, incorporating UIUC’s findings, the ultimate goal to shrink device geometry to 0.25μ. This will result in static flip-flop toggle frequencies of 150GHz.This is a short news story only. Visit www.three-fives.com for the latest advanced semiconductor industry news.
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