Diamonds in Defense: Northrop Grumman’s Secret to Next-Gen Power and Protection

Groundbreaking research is underway at Northrop Grumman's Microelectronics Center (NGMC) which is reshaping physicists' understanding of diamonds, positioning them as the next-generation material used in manufacturing microelectronics. Today, successful tests are verifying that diamonds are key to the future of semiconductor solutions.

Why Diamond?

Diamond microchip withstands 100 Watts of power during performance test. (Photo Credit: Northrop Grumman)

The battlespace is evolving with new, high-powered threats that are hard to address due to the rapid pace of technology development, but this hard gem is proving to be the answer to a new age of warfare. Diamond-based technologies can provide radio-frequency electronics with a material that exceed the limits of today's available solutions.

• Diamonds can withstand extremely hot temperatures without melting or failing.
• Diamonds conduct heat five times better than copper.
• Diamonds can handle significant power passing through them.

Late last year, one of Northrop Grumman's secure semiconductor manufacturing facilities achieved a breakthrough when they successfully tested a diamond-based receiver-protection component that withstood extreme high-power conditions. This miniscule device handled more than 100 Watts of power - more than double the current wattage today's devices can withstand - proving for the first time these components can be used in future systems like radars.

These lab-grown diamonds are small - unlike the gemstones typically found in engagement rings; tiny, opaque crystals many times smaller than a grain of sand. Engineers consider them extraordinary because of their exceptional electronic and thermal-management properties, allowing these microchip devices to shield systems from sudden power spikes and excessive heat, while keeping the signal path clear.

While many tests remain to fully mature the technology, the material can withstand such intensity that even imperfect scores will accomplish the future mission, greatly surpassing the capabilities of the competing, more conventional solutions in use today.

"No Pressure, No Diamonds"
A receiver-protection device shields sensitive equipment from damage, and diamond proves to be a material of choice for exceptional durability and unique properties. Think of it as a miniature, super-tough safety valve that sits right in front of a radio-frequency receiver - the part of a radar, satellite or communications system that "listens" for incoming signals.

"The exceptional thermal conductivity and mobility that diamond possesses allow the material to perform well in very high temperatures and supports high-speed data transmission," said Dr. Ugonna (Ugo) Ohiri, staff systems engineer at Northrop Grumman's Microelectronic Center. "Significant force would be required to damage it, making it ideal for the most advanced military missions."

Diamond is surpassing traditional materials like silicon and even challenging gallium nitride (GaN) as the most suitable material to withstand the harshest conditions. While GaN remains critical for decades of mission support, diamond is the next cutting-edge solution.

Diamond Dominance
Research and development teams at Northrop Grumman have been investing in and exploring diamond as the next-generation semiconductor material for years. Diamonds have long been highlighted as an 'everlasting' material due to their unique properties. Dr. Ohiri stated there is validity to the sentiment that diamonds can last forever.

"When you first think diamond, you think 'how many carats?', or 'what a beautiful shiny gem,' but our team took a closer look at the properties and recognized that it could be a great material for radio frequency applications like communications systems, radars, and other defense technologies. Plus, diamonds can function in outer space and survive traveling at warp speed."

"A Diamond in the Rough"

Diamond wafer proves scalable and viable technology for next-generation systems. (Photo Credit: Northrop Grumman)

At Northrop Grumman, diamond development began in 2019 in a small lab and has since transitioned into a cleanroom, housing a very promising capability. What started as a research and development dream, turned into a successful reality - with partnerships, prototypes to test and program to perform on, fueled by company investment from the beginning.

The diamond wafers being grown today are small in stature, but mighty in power. A wafer only 1 mm x 1 mm in size - smaller than a sesame seed - can produce multiple even smaller chips, capable of powering complex space missions, airborne platforms and quantum sensing applications. Because the chips are tiny, the whole system can be made much more compact, lighter and use less electricity, while still delivering topnotch performance in a smaller package.

To be ready for the future battlespace needs, engineers and physicists at Northrop Grumman are making significant strides in scaling the diamond technology to larger diameter wafer sizes.

Through our strategic partnership with Arizona State University's Southwest Advanced Prototyping Hub (SWAP), funded as part of the Microelectronics Commons effort, multiple engineering teams have invested in the diamond based projects underway in our labs and manufacturing sites nationwide. Pulling from decades of expertise and deep knowledge within the Northrop Grumman Microelectronics Center, we are well positioned to quickly deliver impactful results.

"The sky isn't the limit-the universe is. Diamond's vast potential as a material is undeniable, and we're moving ever closer to taking it from design and development to full scale deployment," said Dr. Ohiri.

To learn more about the advanced technologies being developed within the Northrop Grumman Microelectronics Center, visit our website.