Rad fab opens

Honeywell has opened a new semiconductor foundry where, it says, the industry’s first radiation-hardened, 150 nanometre application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) will be produced. The devices are designed for use in military and aerospace systems.

The wafer foundry and development of the technology was funded by two Department of Defense organizations – the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and Defense Production Act Title III Program Office.

The chip feature size of 150 nanometres allows designers to place nearly four times more transistors on an IC than previous generation technology, increasing data size and speed.

Honeywell’s radiation-hardened ICs are produced using silicon-on-insulator technology and can withstand the extreme operating environments of space.

The Plymouth, MN foundry is part of Honeywell’s Defense & Space Electronic Systems business.