Microelectronics - Advanced Technology Lab

green microchips

Semiconductor Foundry Technologies

The Northrop Grumman Advanced Technology Lab, located in Linthicum, Maryland, maintains a wide range of processes for our customers. We offer a full feature facility with state-of-the-art design capabilities, multiple processing nodes, electrical testing, environmental and QCI screening, and failure analysis.

employee working in microelectronics lab

Foundry Services

The Northrop Grumman Advanced Technology Lab, located in Linthicum, Maryland, maintains a wide range of processes for both internal and external customers. We offer a full feature facility with state-of-the-art design capabilities, multiple processing nodes, electrical testing, environmental and QCI screening, and failure analysis.

Our Capabilities

  • 150 mm Silicon
    • CMOS* (180nm, 0.5µm, 0.8µm, & 1.25µm)
    • BiCMOS (10V*, 15V, 40V*, 60V)
    • SONOS Non-Volatile Memory*
    • SiGe Bipolar Power
  • 100 mm GaAs
  • 100 mm GaN-on- SiC, GaN-on-Si, Indium-based Nitrides
  • 100 mm SiC
    • Schottky SIT and Ion Implanted SIT

*Radiation Hardened options available

Microelectronics Test and Assembly Services Equipment

Test & Assembly Services

The Advanced Technology Lab (ATL) offers Microelectronics Test, Assembly, and Product Engineering services across a high mix of internally and externally fabricated products. With ~22,000 ft² of cleanroom space and more on the way, the test and assembly branch of ATL continues to pioneer unique solutions for the industry.

  • TEST – Automated wafer and packaged device Acceptance Test Procedure (ATP) solutions are developed using commercial Automatic Test Equipment (ATE) and Radio Frequency (RF)/Mixed Signal Test Equipment.
  • ASSEMBLY – Tested wafers can be inspected, thinned, diced, sorted, and assembled into package devices before being subjected to final electrical testing.
  • PRODUCT – Device electrical performance, fabrication quality, and manufacturing pedigree are thoroughly recorded and evaluated before the product is delivered to the next higher assembly.

Our Capabilities

  • Teradyne/Advantest/NI ATE solutions for Si Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) and mixed signal product testing
  • RF Integrated Circuit (RFIC) Test Racks w/ PNA-X and Keysight/NI for Device Under Test (DUT) controls
  • Automated wafer (up to 300mm) probers with thermal & Film Frame test support
  • Automated handler with thermal support for high volume packaged device testing
  • Advanced Automated Optical Inspection (AOI) for wafers, singulated die, and packaged devices
  • Spin Rinse Dry (SRD) cleaning, laser/saw dicing, auto/manual die attach (eutectic/epoxy), wire-bonding, and lidding
  • Reliability and environmental testing (Burn-In, Highly Accelerated Stress Test (HAST), Gross/Fine Leak, Centrifuge, RF shielded testing)

Silicon Technology

For more than 50 years, ATL has utilized unique materials and processes along with novel device technologies to create innovative mixed signal microelectronics.  We have trusted capabilities for design, wafer fabrication, test, and assembly that allow us to deliver the exquisite products that meet a broad range of system requirements.

Silicon Technology Overview

Name Status Digital/Analog Supply Voltage (Volts) Applications Technology Description PDK
L-Band Production - / 50 Power Transistors for Pulsed Radar / Communications Silicon NPN Microwave Power Yes
S-Band Production - / 45 100 krads Power Transistors for Pulsed Radar / Communications Yes
CCD Production 10/12 Visible Image Sensors Indium Tin Oxide CCDs with 4um CMOS 8V CCD Input Drive Yes
PCBLVRH Production 10/10 Smart Power Control (Regulators, Fault Isolators) Rad Hard 10V BiCMOS. No PNP Transistors Used Yes
PCBMVRH Production 15/15 Smart Power Control (Regulators, Fault Isolators) Rad Hard 15V BiCMOS. No PNP Transistors Used Yes
PCB60 Production 15/60 Regulators for GaN Devices 60V BiCMOS Yes
PCB40RH Pre-Production 15/40 Analog Multiplexers, Analog Switches 100K Rad Hard 40V CMOS and Trench Isolation Yes
CMS8 Production 5/5 SONOS FPGAs, CMOS ASICs, 1M EEPROM Rad Hard 0.8um CMOS with Nonvolatile Memory Yes
CMS5 Production 3.3/5 CMOS ASICs Rad Hard 0.5um CMOS Yes

Compound Technology

ATL’s capabilities in GaAs, GaN, and SiC materials create trusted, high performance, specialized microelectronics for numerous RF and power applications for systems.  Ongoing development in GaN and other wide band gap materials continue to push the boundaries of performance.

Compound Technology Overview

Technology Name Status Operating Voltage (Volts) Applications Technology Description PDK
SiC Production 100 Power Transistors for Pulsed Radar / Communications Discrete Silicon Carbide Power Transistors Yes
HBT Production 8 Power Transistors for Pulsed Radar / Communications Discrete Silicon Carbide Power Transistors Yes
SLCFET 3S Production -14 Switches, Switch Couplers, Switch Matrices, Reconfigurable Filters Low-Loss, High Linearity RF Switch, RWOH available Yes
SLCFET 3HP Production -20 Switches, Switch Couplers, Switch Matrices, Switched Filters High Power, Low-Loss RF Switch, RWOH available Yes
SLCFET Diode Development -14 Level Shifters for Receiver Protector, Limiters Diode Integrated with SLCFET Switch Yes
SLCFET Amplifier Development 2.5-15 Power Amplifiers, LNAs, T/R MMICs VHF - Ka band Superlattice Amplifier Yes

Mixed Signal Radiation

ATL has the specialized processes that allow us to produce microelectronics that can survive the harshest radiation environments.  Our space-level qualified products are utilized on numerous space payloads.

CMOS / Mixed Signal Radiation Hardness Summary

Technology Name Status Digital/Analog Supply Voltage (Volts) Estimated Radiation Hardness Comments
PCBLVRH Production 10/10 500 krads Rad Hard 10V BiCMOS
PCBMVRH Production 15/15 100 krads Rad Hard 15V BiCMOS
PCB40RH Pre-Production 15/40 >300 krads Rad Hard 40V CMOS for Analog MUXes
PCB60 Production 15/60 30-50 krads 60V BiCMOS
CMS8 Production 5/5 >300 krads Rad Hard 0.8um CMOS with Nonvolatile Memory
CMS5 Production 3.3/5 >300 krads Rad Hard 0.5um CMOS

microchip on fingertip

Products

ATL offers foundry services to create Silicon Mixed-signal, Analog, or Digital ASIC’s; GaAs or GaN Compound semiconductor MMIC’s; or Power Transistors in Silicon or Silicon Carbide. Our standard products that are available encompass Radiation Hardened Non-Volatile Memories and Multiplexers, along with Bipolar RF Power Transistors.

  • Radiation Hardened and High Temperature EEPROMs
  • 16:1 Analog Multiplexers (Radiation Hardened)
  • Bipolar RF Power Transistors
  • Design Services
  • Radiation Analysis and Testing
  • GaAs RF MMIC Foundry Service Design Kits
  • Silicon Foundry Service Design Kits
microelectronics switches

RF Switches

Datasheet

transistor for radar systems

Bipolar RF Transistors

Datasheet

radiation hardened nonvolatile 1Mbit

Radiation Hardened and High Temperature EEPROMS

Datasheet

radiation hardened analog multiplexers

Multiplexer

Datasheet

employees in lab attire use microscopes in a lab

About Us

ATL by the Numbers

  • The ATL semiconductor foundry has been delivering microelectronics for more than 50 years with annual deliveries exceeding 1,200,000 devices per year.
  • We are a critical resource for the DoD community and hold DMEA CAT1A Trust Certification for wafer fabrication, assembly, test, and aggregation with over 55,000 square feet of wafer fabrication cleanrooms.
  • We are AS9100 Certified.
  • We have more than 700 experienced technical staff and more than 50 subject matter experts on-site supporting both production and development efforts.
  • We have over 30 production processes, with more in development. No other facility in the US has this variety of semiconductor technologies under one roof.
  • Over 5.7 million parts have been delivered to more than 70 Northrop Grumman programs over the past decade.
  • Our trusted and assured production capabilities are supporting over 18 AESA programs.
  • We have supplied microelectronics to over 100 space payloads, including the James Webb Space Telescope

Contact Us

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