BAE Systems advances DARPA program to improve GaN electronics thermal management

BAE Systems’ FAST Labs has successfully completed Phase 1 of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) THREADS program and has been awarded support to proceed to Phase 2. The program, titled Technologies for Heat Removal in Electronics at the Device Scale, focuses on addressing thermal limitations in high-performance radio-frequency (RF) gallium nitride (GaN) devices.

GaN semiconductors are critical for modern military radar, electronic warfare, and communications systems due to their ability to operate at high power densities. However, heat generation remains a primary obstacle to maximizing their performance. The THREADS program aims to solve this by reducing thermal resistance within the transistor itself and efficiently moving heat away from high-power regions without degrading RF performance.

Successful thermal management through this initiative could potentially nearly triple the range of RF systems, enhancing the safety and engagement distances for military personnel. The research is being conducted at BAE Systems’ Microelectronics Center in New Hampshire and involves collaboration with several institutions, including Modern Microsystems, Penn State University, Stanford University, the University of Notre Dame, and the University of Texas at Dallas.