Semiconductor manufacturer GlobalFoundries announced the US government has awarded $30 million for the company to advance the development and production of Gallium nitride (GaN) on silicon chips at GF’s facility in Essex Junction, Vermont. This material is one of the potential components of 6G technologies, as well as in RF wireless infrastructure, electric vehicles, power grids, solar energy, and others.

The $30 million federal funding, secured by Senator Patrick Leahy as an appropriation in the Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2022, will enable GF to purchase tools and extend development and implementation of 200mm GaN wafer manufacturing.

“Chips used all around the world are made right here in Essex Junction by this dedicated workforce,” said Senator Leahy. “This funding is an investment in U.S. leadership in improved technology for chips that connect everything around us and power our handheld devices—with GlobalFoundries and Vermonters leading the way,” Leahy said in a statement.

This Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) was entered into by the Defense Microelectronics Activity via the Trusted Access Program Office (TAPO) of the U.S. Department of Defense.

TAPO’s primary mission is to procure advanced semiconductors for the Departments most critical and sensitive weapons systems platforms. TAPO has been supporting dual use (both civilian and military applications) GaN on silicon development efforts since 2019. This current development phase plans to leverage previous TAPO achievements and continue maturing this dual use technology.

This $30 million agreement is the latest federal investment to support GaN at GF’s Vermont Fab. In fiscal years 2020 and 2021, Senator Leahy secured a total of $10 million for research and development related to advancing GaN technology at the facility, paving the way for this new award.