The THREADS program will develop technologies to overcome transistor thermal limitations and realize robust high-power density transistors that operate near their fundamental electronic limit of radio frequency (RF) output power.
Approx USD$60M is being invested in this 4 year, 3 -phase program which through a combination of material thermal resistance improvements, novel transistor topologies and heat spreading layer(s)/structures, will demonstrate a net 8X reduction of transistor thermal resistance.
Technical Challenge 1: Reducing thermal resistance within the device while maintaining good channel current transport properties – THREADS seeks to reduce interfacial and thin film thermal resistance within the intrinsic device (epitaxial layer stack)
Technical Challenge 2: Moving heat away from high power transistors more efficiently without degrading RF performance. – THREADS seeks to develop approaches to spread waste heat and reduce transistor thermal resistance to maintain channel temperature of 225 °C
Abstracts due 22 December 2022, full proposals due 17 February 2023
