May 13, 2008... Process enables reliable production of affordable, high-performance
semiconductors
Tewksbury, Massachusetts USA -- A Raytheon Company-led
team has accomplished a key step demonstrating that affordable,
high-performance circuits for military applications can be produced by
growing semiconductor compounds directly on silicon.
Demonstrating this highly innovative technique is part of a $6.5
million contract awarded by the Office of Naval Research and funded by the
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. It is a critical building block
contributing to the ultimate success of DARPA's Compound Semiconductor
Materials on Silicon, or COSMOS, program.
"Our team's process of directly growing a semiconductor compound on a
uniquely engineered silicon substrate provides a technical approach that is
creating a new class of integrated circuits that will be more affordable
for our Defense Department customers," said Mark Russell, vice president of
Engineering at Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems (IDS).
"Selective placement of semiconductor compounds on silicon is an
important achievement because it proves that optimal circuit performance
can be produced through a heterogeneous, high-yield, monolithic integration
process," said Dr. Tom Kazior, program manager at Raytheon IDS.
Teaming with Raytheon IDS on the COSMOS project are Raytheon Systems
Limited in Glenrothes, Scotland; Teledyne Scientific Imaging Company in
Thousand Oaks, Calif.; Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge,
Mass.; Paradigm Research LLC in Windham, N.H.; IQE in Bethlehem, Pa.;
Soitec in Grenoble, France; and Silicon Valley Technology Center in San
Jose, Calif.
Integrated Defense Systems is Raytheon's leader in Joint Battlespace
Integration providing affordable, integrated solutions to a broad
international and domestic customer base, including the U.S. Missile
Defense Agency, the U.S. Armed Forces and the Department of Homeland
Security.
Raytheon Company, with 2007 sales of $21.3 billion, is a technology
leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government
markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 86
years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems
integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and
command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as a
broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham,
Mass., Raytheon employs 72,000 people worldwide.
Contact:
Mike Nason
703.419.1421