Navy weapons researchers ask for industry's ideas in advanced MMIC ASICs and circuit boards
RIDGECREST, Calif. – U.S. Navy weapons researchers are asking for industry's help in designing complex monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and printed circuit boards for advanced RF and microwave applications like radar, munitions guidance, and electronic warfare (EW).
Officials of the The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) at the China Lake Naval Weapons Station in Ridgecrest, Calif., issued a sources-sought notice (N6893618R0050) on Monday for the Advancements in Integrated Circuit Technology Areas project.
Navy researchers are asking industry for white papers on MMIC ASIC integrated circuit signal integrity, packaging, and related topics. A MMIC ASIC is an integrated circuit that operates at microwave frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz.
These advanced RF and microwave components typically are for functions like microwave mixing, power amplification, low-noise amplification, and high-frequency switching.
White paper submissions should address advancements in IC technology areas like ASIC and MMIC design, physical layout, modeling (including electromagnetic models), characterization, fabrication processes, and materials.
Related: Air Force to turn over 0.14-micron MMIC technology to industry for advanced radar
Those responding also should address market trends and beyond-state-of-the-art predictions, major players, and U.S. military access challenges. Companies responding must be U.S. owned and operated, and researchers mentioned must be U.S. citizens able to obtain security clearances.
Navy researchers would like white papers that address eight separate MMIC ASIC capabilities:
-- packaging and assembly techniques at the IC and system level;
-- printed circuit board design, physical layout, and modeling of prototype design methodology, including circuit boards of 20 layers or more, wiring dimensions of 76 microns or smaller; and boards with micro-via and via-in-via interconnects;
-- packaging design technologies including circuit board construction materials, performance-enhancing layout techniques, and cooling systems;
-- signal integrity, power integrity, and thermal integrity analysis techniques at the IC, circuit board, and system level;
-- AC and DC power delivery network capabilities including frequency-based impedance at the IC and circuit board level;
-- system-level architecture and design at various levels of complexity and integration;
-- system level modeling for performance predictions; and
-- non-disclosure agreements.
Related: MMIC devices for defense, aerospace, and communications introduced by Microsemi
Companies interested should email white papers no later than 5 April 2018 to the Navy's Janet Campbell at [email protected], with a copy to Sierra Trepanier at [email protected].
For questions or concerns contact Janet Campbell by email at [email protected], or by phone at 760-939-9507. Also contact Sierra Trepanier by email at [email protected], or by phone at 760-939-8958.
More information is online at https://www.fbo.gov/notices/fba7f075ad99964695ffbdf15beae463.
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John Keller | Editor
John Keller is editor-in-chief of Military & Aerospace Electronics magazine, which provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronic and optoelectronic technologies in military, space, and commercial aviation applications. A member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since the magazine's founding in 1989, Mr. Keller took over as chief editor in 1995.
