The first ever high performance GaN/diamond transistor
Image by DARPA
The first ever high performance GaN-diamond transistor has been demonstrated by a team from TriQuint Semiconductors USA and the Center for Device Thermography and Reliabilityin the School of Physics at the University of Bristol.
Radar and communication systems use monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MIMIC). MIMICs using gallium nitride (GaN) transistors have shown great promise for enabling huge advances in the performance of radar and communication technologies, but their operational characteristics are strongly affected by limitations in that heat generated has to be extracted from these devices.
Taking advantage of the ultimate highest possible thermal conductivity material of diamond, and integrating it with GaN, the first ever high performance GaN-diamond device has been demonstrated in a programme funded by the US Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA).
Further details can be found in DARPA and TriQuint press releases.