A Microelectronics Commons regional innovation hub
Active SWAP Hub projects
SWAP Hub projects advancing U.S. microelectronics innovation
As part of the CHIPS and Science Act’s Microelectronics Commons initiative, the Southwest Advanced Prototyping (SWAP) Hub — led by Arizona State University — has secured nearly $30 million in federal funding to support five collaborative R&D projects focused on strengthening U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, accelerating technology transition and advancing national defense capabilities.
Ultra-Fast Radar Power Converter
Powering the future of radar systems
Partners
Arizona State University, Sandia National Laboratories, Lockheed Martin, ThermAvant, Infineon
Funding
$5 million
Develops a compact, high-efficiency 4kW radar power converter
Achieves 6× higher power density and 50% lower energy losses
Enables scalable deployment across defense and dual-use platforms
Uses gallium nitride (GaN) technology for ultra-fast switching and reduced noise
SLEAC: Spaceborne Low-Energy AI Computing
Next-generation AI for extreme space environments
Partners
Arizona State University, Sandia National Laboratories, Raytheon, University of Southern California, University of Colorado, Air Force Research Lab, LTC Design, GlobalFoundries
Funding
$6 million
Creates a radiation-hardened AI engine with 10× energy efficiency improvement
Integrates AI directly with imaging sensors for real-time, high-resolution analysis
Uses analog in-memory computing to overcome traditional AI bottlenecks
RF GaN Tech for 5G/6G Wireless Systems
Speed, power, and efficiency for next-gen wireless
Partners
Arizona State University, Raytheon, NXP Semiconductors, National Instruments
Funding
$5.1 million
Develops GaN-on-Si BiCMOS process technology for ultra-efficient wireless systems
Integrates thermal management and monitoring within reconfigurable components
Supports wide bandwidth and faster data rates for future communication standards
SMART: Scalable Modular Architecture for RF Transceivers
Flexible RF solutions for joint sensing and communications
Partners
Arizona State University, Alphacore, Rice University, Auburn University, Lockheed Martin
Funding
$5.7 million
Designs a monolithic CMOS transceiver for 5G/6G and DoW systems
Provides a modular IP library of reusable, high-speed RF components
Enables efficient phased array, beamforming, and front-end signal processing
ARC-V: Secure Processor for Defense IoT
Cyber-resilient, low-power processing for tactical systems
Partners
Idaho Scientific, Synopsys, Mercury Systems, BAE Systems, GlobalFoundries
Funding
$7.8 million
Creates a lightweight, secure processor for IoT-scale military environments
Provides side-channel resistance, cyber resilience and data integrity
Supports secure deployment in low size, weight and power (SWaP) settings
