Ozark IC to lead $10.9M DARPA project

Northwest Arkansas

by Jeff Della Rosa ([email protected]) June 2, 2024 10:23 am 442 views 

Fayetteville-based electronics manufacturer Ozark Integrated Circuits Inc. (Ozark IC) will lead a six-member team to develop electronics that can withstand extreme temperatures as part of a $10.9 million, three-year federal program.

The High Operational Temperature Sensors (HOTS) program of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) aims to develop microelectronic sensor technologies capable of high-bandwidth, high-dynamic-range sensing at extreme temperatures. This technology is significant for high-speed aerospace systems, especially hypersonic flight systems.

The money will allow the team to develop a high-speed, high-temperature electronic sensing system. The 1-megahertz sensor would be able to withstand temperatures of up to 800 degrees Celsius or 1,472 degrees Fahrenheit.

The HOTS program comprises multiple challenges: develop electronics that operate two orders of magnitude better than state-of-the-art technology and at 800 degrees Celsius without thermal management. The electronics must be developed in three years.

The following comprise the team led by Ozark IC:

  • RTX
  • GE Aerospace Research Center
  • IC2
  • NASA Glenn Research Center
  • U.S. Naval Research Laboratory

As program lead, Ozark IC will manage the system integration, electronics design, process integration and extreme-environment packaging. Ozark IC will work with its partners, who will provide the high-speed pressure sensor, device and integrated circuit fabrication, specialized materials and characterization.

The project is expected to advance state-of-the-art technology by combining the ruggedness of NASA Glenn-pioneered silicon carbide chip technology with the high performance of gallium nitride and other advanced materials.

“In many ways, this project is the culmination of over a decade of work at Ozark IC and our partners to open up new frontiers for electronics,” CEO Matt Francis said. “We are naturally thrilled with this award, and we are very grateful to DARPA for the faith they have shown in this amazing team. This is the largest award Ozark IC has received in its 13-year history, and we are naturally looking forward to this project and see great things happening as a result.”

Ozark IC has 20 employees.