Intel, BAE Systems team up for rad-hard ASICs
The main goal of the program is to expand onshore access to state-of-the-art microelectronics circuits for the US government and aerospace community. The contract was awarded by the Army Contracting Command – Rock Island under the Cornerstone Other Transaction Authority.
Intel Foundry Services offers manufacturing processes from 90nm down to 10nm with a roadmap going forward to sub-nanometer manufacturing processes. It also offers EMIB and Foveros packaging supporting the interconnection of different chiplets and tiles to create complex multi-process circuits with close to the performance of a single chip.
BAE Systems already provides a number of rad-hard electronic systems and components including Chalcogenide RAM (C-RAM) but this technology is available through a limited number of sources in the US.
Under the contract, BAE Systems’ FAST Labs R&D organization will develop a design library that can be used to develop microelectronics for the defense and aerospace communities.
Currently RHBD ASICs use a 45nm manufacturing process but the contract will enable migration more advanced technology nodes and enable more functionality and higher performance in smaller form factors and at lower power.
BAE Systems will execute on this program through collaboration with a team composed of Cadence Design Systems, Carnegie Mellon University, Movellus, Reliable MicroSystems, and Sandia National Laboratories. The work will be carried out at BAE Systems’ facilities in Merrimack, New Hampshire. and Manassas, Virginia.
“Radiation hardened electronics are highly specialized mission critical technology,” said Chris Rappa, director at BAE Systems’ FAST Labs, in a statement. “Leveraging Intel’s commercial foundry to manufacture this technology can speed up the production of next-generation technology and help resolve supply chain challenges so we can maintain our country’s technological edge.
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