Rockwell 's Lightning - industry's fastest GaAs gate array? Rockwell International Corporation's Microelectronics Technology Center (MTC) has introduced the Lightning family of gate arrays, what may be the industry's fastest series of commercial GaAs digital gate arrays: LI300. This product line, based on Rockwell's technology, offers twice the perfor- mance level of any existing gate arrays, and targets high-speed digital applications.

"Lightning is uniquely suited for the speed requirements of the new trans- mission and switching systems being developed," said Tom Dugan, MTC senior product line manager, GaAs ASIC product group. "In addition to its high-speed and low-power fea- tures, it has the ability to directly interface to a low-cost CMOS ASIC for a complete system solution."

"Lightning uses the HBT process, which is the world's fastest produc- tion semiconductor process," said Jai Hakhu, MTC business director. "And now with our new fab conversion to 100 ram, we can provide production volumes cost effectively."

The gate arrays are set in 68-pin ceramic packages and available for prototype development now. The NRE fee for prototype development ranges from $60 000 to $100 000. Volume p roduc t ion prices range from $75 to $150, with future price projections of less than $50 as low- cost packaging becomes available. For technical documentation, con- tact Tom Dugan at (805) 375-1218.

Rockwell has also begun volume production in the world's first wafer tab for 100 mm wafers. This large- diameter wafer production facility will enable the company to effec- tively address today's high-volume, low-cost, high-speed computing ap- plications with the fastest GaAs semiconductor process technology available.

MTC uses an MOVPE capability to grow critical HBT layers, Canon steppers and an HP83000 tester, along with on-line SPC. The use of state-of-the-art equipment, coupled with this MOVPE technology, has

made it possible to reduce the mini- mum gate lengths f rom l~tm to 0.5 gin, allowing for much denser and faster circuits. "The use of smaller gate lengths, as well as the move to 100 ram, will allow us to obtain more die per wafer, resulting in lower overall p roduct costs and increased production volume capabil- ity", says Dugan.

GaAs ICs to be used in many wireless data LANs and WANs says report The total number of wireless LANs and WANs in US opera t ion is expected to increase from 1.6 m at the end of 1993 to 24.0 m at the end of 1998 according to research findings released by Kenneth W. Taylor & Associa tes ' in a repor t ent i t led "Digital Wireless Communications Strategic Industry Information Ser- vice."

"Spearheaded by announcement this year by Wireless Access, Motor-

ola, Xircom, Proxim, IBM. GEC, and others, the operational number of wireless LAN terminals o~ terminal equivalents such as PCMCIA mod- ules will increase from 400 thousand in 1993 to 11.9 rain 1998." according to Kenneth W. Taylor. presidc,H of the eight-year old high technolog> strategic planning firm which is forecasting the worldwide outcome of GaAs versus silicon I( ~ competi- tion.

Horizontal LAN applications will represent the most popular terminal category in 1998, with 9.5 m units in operation. Alphanumeric paging, to- day's wireless data LAN/WAN lea- der, wiIl be in second place with 4.5 m units, followed by cellular data and then vertical LANs dedi- cated to specific industries such as retailing. iContact : Kenneth W. Taylor & Associates, Electronics Industry Stra- tegic Planning and Business Develop- merit, 101 First Street, Suite 25l Los Altos, CA 94022. Tell!fax." /1](415~ 941 1430/1438.

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