DRDO lab develops silicone carbide wafers, gallium nitride transistors for MMICs

Solid State Physics Laboratory (SSPL), a research arm of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has developed indigenous processes for the manufacture of 4-inch silicon carbide (SiC) wafers and the fabrication of gallium nitride (GaN) high electron mobility transistor-based monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs).

The GaN HEMTs of up to 150 W and MMICs of up to 40W developed by the SSPL find applications in devices of up to X-band frequencies, according to a DRDO release.

MMIC, which operates at microwave frequencies (300 MHz to 300 GHz), are generally used for microwave mixing, power amplification, low-noise amplification, and high-frequency switching. Such devices are employed in renewable energy systems, electric vehicles, industrial motor drives, and high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission systems.

GaN/SiC technology, which improves efficiency and performance with reduced weight and size, also finds use in the manufacture of next-generation defence and aerospace systems.

The use of this technology will help enhance the performance of combat systems, radars and electronic warfare systems.

The GaN/SiC technology is vital for communications, intelligence, reconnaissance, and unmanned systems and has both military and commercial uses.

Importantly, the Gallium Arsenide Technology Enabling Centre (GAETEC), Hyderabad has established limited production capacity for GaN on SiC-based MMICs.

The development of commercially viable SiC/GaN-based MMIC technology is a major step in India’s march towards self-reliance in semiconductor technology.