New rice-sized GaN chip packs 3x more power, 20x better signals and dual functions

Northrop Grumman has unveiled a new gallium nitride chip aimed at handling demanding radio-frequency workloads with less hardware.

The FORTITUDE chip can combine signal switching and filtering inside a single device. Northrop Grumman says it delivers three times more power and 20 times better signal quality.

That performance could matter across systems that operate in crowded or interference-heavy environments. The company lists satellites, radar, GPS, electronic warfare, and future 6G networks among potential applications.

GaN gets new structure

The chip is also small enough to fit within a package roughly the size of a grain of rice. Its compact footprint could help engineers reduce weight and power demands inside larger systems.

FORTITUDE uses a patented gallium nitride structure built from multiple ultra-thin layers. Northrop Grumman describes the architecture as a “superlattice.” The stacked layers control electron movement through the semiconductor while increasing charge density.

The company says the structure can carry about 10 times the charge of standard GaN chips. That higher density helps the device handle more electrical power without simply increasing its physical size.

Heat management also becomes important as RF hardware pushes higher power levels. The superlattice design aims to reduce energy losses during operation. The approach comes from years of Northrop Grumman research into microelectronics. The technology was previously known as the Super Lattice Castellated Field Effect Transistor.

Switching and filtering together

Most RF systems rely on multiple components to manipulate signals as they move through a circuit. FORTITUDE puts two important functions into the same semiconductor.

The device can switch signals at subnanosecond speeds while filtering unwanted frequencies. That combination lets it shape electrical signals before they reach other parts of a system.

Northrop Grumman says FORTITUDE can operate across frequencies ranging from kilohertz levels to 20 GHz. That broad range could support multiple radar and communications bands with fewer specialized components.

The company says the chip can replace dozens of components in some system architectures. That could reduce weight and simplify the electronics surrounding the RF chain.

More signal in crowded spectrum

Modern RF systems increasingly operate alongside other transmitters and sources of interference. Military platforms face particularly demanding conditions when several electronic systems compete for spectrum.

FORTITUDE is designed to maintain cleaner signal performance under those conditions. Northrop Grumman says its architecture can deliver clearer data while consuming less power.

The technology also targets commercial systems. Future communications networks could place greater demands on RF hardware as operators move toward higher frequencies and more complex signal environments.

Northrop Grumman is developing FORTITUDE for both defense and commercial markets in the United States. Its potential applications span communications, sensing, and electronic warfare.

The engineering challenge remains familiar even as the hardware changes. More information needs to move through increasingly crowded electromagnetic environments. FORTITUDE tackles that problem at the semiconductor level, combining more power and signal control inside a much smaller piece of hardware.

Source: https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/northrop-grumman-fortitude-gan-chip