Northrop Grumman wins $7m DARPA contract to create diamond-cooled chips

News: Microelectronics

Northrop Grumman wins $7m DARPA contract to create diamond-cooled chips

US-based aerospace & defense technology company Northrop Grumman Corp has won a $7m contract to create diamond-cooled chips that deliver higher power, faster speeds and enhanced performance for military radar and communications. The award marks Phase 2 of the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) program Technologies for Heat Removal in Electronics at the Device Scale (THREADS), which aims to integrate diamond-based heat-dissipation technology into next-generation semiconductors for defense-grade chips:

• . Currently, RF systems operate well below their limits to prevent overheating, which reduces power, shortens chip life and increases the risk of circuit failure in demanding missions.
• . Diamond conducts heat five times faster than copper and far outperforms silicon carbide and gallium nitride, which are currently used for high-performance applications. A diamond-cooled chip spreads heat more efficiently, letting it run longer without overheating.
• . Power density is vital for next-generation electronics. In DARPA THREADS Phase 1, Northrop Grumman boosted power by 3.3x; Phase 2 will push it further, delivering far stronger RF transmitters for military communications and satellite links.

“Temperature has long capped what microelectronics can do, even gallium nitride (GaN), which is a standard today,” says Ben Heying, director of microelectronics at Northrop Grumman’s Space Park Foundry. “Embedding diamond directly into chips works like a turbocharged cooling system. It keeps the chips cool, so we can crank up the power without risk of burnout,” he adds. “This breakthrough lets Northrop Grumman’s diamond-cooled chips push beyond traditional heat limits and unlocks a new generation of fast, reliable RF electronics.”

At the company’s Microelectronics Center in Redondo Beach, CA, USA, microscopic diamonds are added directly into chips, removing heat from radio frequency (RF) circuits. Northrop Grumman recently completed successful high-power tests using diamond as a semiconductor material. This breakthrough keeps the devices cooler, boosts their speed and reliability, and allows them to handle higher power levels without throttling, ultimately delivering faster, more dependable performance for critical military systems.

Drawing on the company’s open access business model, Northrop Grumman partnered with Stanford University to embed diamond by growing a layer on the backside of the device within its microscopic channels. The diamond-filled channels transfer heat away from hotspots, keeping the device cool even at maximum power.

In Phase 2, Northrop Grumman plans to make these diamond-enhanced chips over three times more powerful, delivering more capability while taking up less space. This will unlock far stronger RF transmitters, enhancing military communications, next-generation satellite links, and a broad spectrum of future applications.

The Phase 2 goal — tripling power density once again — is the outcome of Northrop Grumman’s diamond technology research and investment, started in 2019. By capitalizing on diamond’s unrivaled heat conductivity and its ability to endure extreme temperatures, the firm says that it is exploiting its to pave the way for the next generation of high-power, mission-critical semiconductors.

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Northrop Grumman

www.darpa.mil

www.northropgrumman.com