GaN-on-SiC RF power transistors have completed testing to demonstrate compliance with NASA reliability standards for satellite and space systems, announced Wolfspeed, a Cree company.

The GaN-on-SiC fabrication processes have demonstrated, delivery of over 100billion hours of field operation with a best-in-class FIT rate of less than five/billion device hours for discrete GaN RF transistors and multi-stage GaN MMICs.

Wolfspeed partnered with KCB Solutions to conduct a testing program to demonstrate that the GaN-on-SiC devices meet NASA EEE-INST-002 Level 1 reliability and performance standards, derived from the MIL-STD requirements for Class S and Class K qualifications.

There were five test procedures conducted on 25W GaN-on-SiC HEMT CGH40025F and the 25W two-Stage X-Band GaN MMIC CMPA801B025F devices, which are produced using the company’s 0.4µm G28V3 fabrication process. Both devices demonstrated no significant RF performance change after undergoing all the test procedures, including exposure to a cumulative dose of radiation exceeding 1Mrad, reports the company.