Dynamic Range-enhanced Electronics and Materials (DREaM)

The DREaM program will develop new materials and novel device structures to create RF/millimeter wave transistors that enable high dynamic range RF systems. Such RF systems fundamentally require either high transmitting power to increase the signal strength or high linearity signal reception to minimize the spurs or noise in the spectrum. The DREaM program will dramatically increase the output power density at the transistor level as compared to present GaN technology. In addition, DREaM devices with intrinsically higher linearity will enable circuit and system designs with superior reception at much lower power consumption penalties. Thus, DREaM technology will enable RF transceiver systems to achieve the same or better RF specifications as today while consuming much lower DC power, which will benefit systems from large phased array applications to small apertures on power-constrained platforms. Overall, the DREaM technology is anticipated to be foundational and impact a broad array of RF and millimeter wave (MMW) applications.