HR001117S0024. Dynamic Range-enhanced Electronics and Materials (DREaM) Frequently Asked Questions. May 11 th, 2017

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1 HR001117S0024 Dynamic Range-enhanced Electronics and Materials (DREaM) Frequently Asked Questions May 11 th, 2017 General Questions Q1: How will the government evaluate whether proposed technical approaches have a technical path to meet the Phase 3 program metrics? A1: The government expects proposals to clearly document the technical plans and associated intermediate milestones during each phase. The proposal should document a consistent material and/or device development plan to systematically retire technical risks in each program phase. Q2: What is the expectation of the device maturity at the end program? A2: The DREaM program is a path-finding research program so early stage device results are anticipated. Activities related to qualification or reliability evaluation are beyond the scope of the current effort. Q3: Should the performer deliver the full or partial wafer for the government evaluation? A3: The BAA requests 10 devices per quarter, along with a test plan to be delivered to the government for performance evaluation. The government will accept devices in packaged, full or partial wafer form, as long as the deliverables are measureable. The device deliveries begin at month 6 and then continue quarterly as the program progresses. Device deliveries prior to the end of a phase are not expected to meet the end-of-phase targets, but to show progress towards program metrics. The government can optionally return the samples as needed or required by the funding instrument. Q4: What will happen if a proposed technology has intellectual property right limitations? A4: Since Plans and Capability to Accomplish Technology Transition is part of the proposal evaluation criteria, the government will take into consideration the extent to which the proposed intellectual property rights structure may impact the government s ability to transition the technology.

2 Q5: Can performers propose thermal management development as part of the DREaM program? A5: The government has already heavily invested in advanced device-level thermal management technology over the past decade, so several extrinsic cooling solutions exist. For TA1, depending on the proposed technical approaches, it is possible that the temperature of the device may become too high during extended ambient operation. To maintain focus on transistor development and to alleviate part of the potential thermal challenge, the government intends to allow pulsed measurement for TA 1 as described in the BAA. For these reasons, thermal management solutions are not encouraged. Thermal management as part of the intrinsic device structure with compelling technical rationale is within the scope of the BAA. Q6: What is the intent of the government to down select performers during the course of the program? A6: Due to the high risk nature of the DREaM Program, it is anticipated that not all performers will make acceptable progress toward the program metrics and therefore their option phases may not be exercised. The government plans to use the program metrics in each program phase as well as the performer proposed intermediate metrics to assess the technical progress of the performers. Q7: Will vacuum devices be considered? A7: The BAA does not exclude any specific device types or technical approaches. Q8: Is there any limit of how many proposals that an organization can submit? A8: No. There is no restriction regarding how many proposals an organization can submit. Note that the government will evaluate the proposals based on the evaluation criteria described in the BAA. Q9: Does the BAA imply there is no existing device technology that can achieve the Phase 3 program metrics? A9: There is no known technology solution that meets the Phase 3 program metrics. As a result, the facts suggest that innovations in material, device structure, integration, or a combination of the above may be required. Q10: How important is the quantity of the delivered devices? A10: The BAA officially requests 10 device deliverables per quarterly interval. These deliverables are critical to help the government to assess the technical progress of the performers. Device deliveries prior to the end of a phase are not expected to meet the end-of-phase targets, but to show progress towards program metrics.

3 Q11: Can TA1 device achieve more than 10 db of OIP3/PDC? A11: Yes. The government understands the technical challenges to improve the output power density of the TA1 device, so only requests 10 db of OIP3/PDC. In general, meeting or exceeding the program metrics are welcome. Q12: Is there any requirement of RF gain of TA1 devices? A12: No. The BAA is clearly seeking active devices, yet does not have the RF gain as an explicit TA1 metric. However, it is not expected that a device can meet the program metrics without reasonable RF gain. Q13: How will the 2D power density of HBT (or vertical devices) or power density of FinFET-like device be evaluated when the program metric is the linear power density (W/mm)? A13: The metric table requests W/mm or equivalent. The proposers should provide the appropriate conversion which has been adopted in the literature or is otherwise based upon sound scientific and engineering methods. For example, the device dimension perpendicular to current flow in plan view would be an acceptable normalization for many device structures. Q14: On page 22, it asks the cost proposal include labor hours and direct labor rates for Direct Labor included. As an educational institution, we do not maintain documentation of hours worked for faculty and staff, but rather maintain documentation to support time expended on federal projects based on percentages of effort worked. This documentation is maintained in accordance with 2 CFR Part 200- Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, FAR For DREaM, can we budget using percentages of effort and salary rates, or do we need to provide hourly rates/ number of hours for comparison purposes? A14: For an academic institution, it is typically acceptable to provide percentage of effort and salary rates for labor cost. Please see PartII Section IV.B.1 Note 1(b) on page 24 of the BAA, which discusses requirements for non-profits and educational institutions. Q15: Should I include technology transition-to-manufacturing costs in my DREaM proposal? A15: No. The object of DREaM is to provide direction for future technologies, not to fund manufacturing development. As described in Evaluation Criteria on the page 35 of the DREaM BAA, "While a clear plan to technology transition the device technology developed under DREaM is requested, any activities related to qualification or reliability evaluation are expected to be beyond the scope of the current effort."

4 Q16: For BAA HR001117S0024 we are wondering if DARPA has a template for the cost proposal that we can use? We see that the BAA does not require use of a template, but if a standard template is available, it may help us with the cost proposal construction. A16: No, there is not a standard template for DREaM cost proposal preparation. Measurements and Metrics Q1: Can you clarify the footnote (a) of the Table 1 (how fractional bandwidth will be measured)? A1: Power density and linearity will be measured by load-pull and two-tone large-signal tests respectively at a single center frequency of 30GHz. Small signal S-parameter measurements will be used to demonstrate the useful 5% bandwidth. The intent of this approach is to limit measurement and calibration time associated with large signal testing across frequency. Q2: Can the performers use pulse measurement to prove meeting the Phase 1 TA1 metrics? A2: No. The government expects the performers to demonstrate the 10W/mm (or equivalent) power density, 1 Watt CW output power, and 40% PAE without the need for pulsed testing. To alleviate the CW testing challenges of immature DREaM devices in Phase 2 and 3, the government will allow the pulse measurements to evaluate the TA1 devices, although the CW is preferred. Q3: For the two-tone linearity measurement, is there any specific requirement of the frequency spacing between the two tones? A3: No. The performers should propose and document in the test plan as requested in the BAA. Q4: Do performers need to measure the device at 50-ohm matching condition? A4: No. This is not a MMIC program but a device development program. The government expects the performers to design the appropriate device-level test coupon/structure to evaluate the DREaM devices as deemed appropriate. It is not necessary to design 50-ohm input or output impedance. Q5: What the definition of linear is in the context of the TA2 metric Min Linear Pout. Usually the linear region of Pout is anything less than P1dBout, is this a fair assumption for this metric, or is it some other definition, i.e. 0.1dB gain compression or backed off x db from the 1dB compression point? A5: The TA2 linearity metrics do not include any reference to P1db. The DREaM metrics are simultaneous, so the Minimum Linear Pout describes the minimum power at which devices must comply with all phase metrics. See page 11 of the BAA for more details on anticipated test methodology.

5 Q6: The DREaM BAA document states for both TA1 and TA2 that operation will take place at 30 GHz. If we can develop a solution at 80 to 100 GHz instead of 30 GHz will that be acceptable? A6: The DREaM metrics are measured at 30GHz. Q7: In TA-1 is the linearity to be measured at the same bias and load conditions as used to achieve the Pout/PAE metrics? A7: The DREaM metrics are simultaneous, and for TA1 the linearity measurement procedure makes use of Peak PAE as described on pages 11 and 12 of the BAA. So the bias and load conditions should be the same for reporting all of the metrics.