The next generation of transistors comes from the south of Sweden
NordAmps, a spin-off from Lund University, is looking to revolutionise the landscape of high-frequency wireless communication and sensing with its vertical nanowire transistor technology.
Leveraging over 15 years of research in nanotechnology, NordAmps is poised to present the next generation of transistors designed specifically for high-frequency wireless communication and sensing applications.
The cornerstone of NordAmps’ innovation lies in their vertical nanowire transistor technology, with which the company is looking to solve the next 5G and 6G data transfer and sensing challenges.
Their technology combines the high performance of III-V materials and full compatibility with Si CMOS-based manufacturing.
Unlike conventional silicon technology, which often falls short in meeting the stringent requirements of next-gen high-frequency applications, NordAmps’ solution offers superior performance in terms of carrier frequency, noise figure, and linearity, CEO and founder Lars Tilly explains to Evertiq.
“To solve this problem we’ve developed devices based on vertical InGaAs nanotransistors which are easily integrated with Si CMOS technology and ready to insert in existing design libraries thanks to our released Process Design Kits (PDKs),” Lars Tilly says.
He continues to say that with the technology, NordAmps is enabling higher data transfer rates while lowering both the power consumption and the added Noise. Another important aspect of using the company’s devices is the advantage of significantly reducing manufacturing costs by limiting the number of mask steps.
Regarding potential application areas, Tilly elaborates, "Our technology can be used in many different applications: Base stations, satellite communications, automotive radar, Quantum computing, Terminals, and Artificial intelligence. But at this point, at NordAmps, we’ve chosen to focus and bring up all our work in 2 of them: Base station and Satellite communications."
NordAmps has been actively engaged in collaborative projects with industry players such as Ericsson, Cadence, and Lund University, demonstrating the practical applicability and performance of their technology.
A project like "a 130-175GHz D-bands LNA for 5G/6G Xhaul" showcases NordAmps' ability to deliver high-performance solutions tailored to specific industry needs.
“For Satellite communications, we are working on a customer project with a main actor in this ecosystem to design a 13.5 GHz satellite LNA. The main purpose of this project is to obtain a device with radiation tolerance and maintained performance. It’s a very exciting and challenging project,” Lars Tilly explains.
In terms of commercialisation, NordAmps is making significant strides towards bringing their technology to market. Collaborations with Lund NanoLab and RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden) provide access to cleanroom facilities, facilitating the manufacturing and optimisation of their transistor technology for commercial deployment.
But how close is the company to reach this and where is the challenge in achieving market penetration?
“In the first instance, we are teaming up with Lund NanoLab to use their cleanroom facility and manufacture the latest version of our technology out of the lab. Thanks to this, we will be able to submit samples for testing very soon and facilitate future collaborations with customers who want to use our technology,” says Tilly and continues.
“In the second instance, to accelerate this step and optimize the performance of our devices, NordAmps will have access to a new cleanroom facility provided by RISE, Research Institutes of Sweden, where we will transfer the critical process modules for yield optimization. This move will enable NordAmps to significantly accelerate its market entry by delivering samples to customers and starting to commercialize its groundbreaking technology.”
As we move forward, the company’s next milestone involves launching its pre-production line at ProNano to begin small-volume manufacturing and deliver our first orders
“This achievement will be the concretization of multiple years of research and technology sharpening where we will manufacture the circuits built throughout the multiple projects we were involved in,” Tilly concludes.
During Evertiq Expo in Malmö on May 23, 2024, NordAmps will take to the stage to present its technology and explain more closely how the company is looking to solve the next big challenges in data transfer and sensing.
