1. Rigetti Computing is upgraded to Buy due to catalysts like DARPA's QBI program and advancements in quantum technology; 2. Progress toward a 100-qubit system with >99.5% fidelity positions the company for DARPA Stage B grants and revenue growth; 3. Attractive valuation suggests a 33% upside potential if book value multiples align with historical averages, targeting ~$25 per share.
Recent #DARPA news in the semiconductor industry
➀ The new US vice president announced the Trump administration's robust approach to AI at the Paris AI Summit.
➁ Rohm introduced an isolated GaN gate driver with a simple-looking half-bridge application circuit.
➂ DARPA is investigating in-space manufacturing with two university research teams planning an orbital demonstration.
➀ The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has selected two research teams, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Caltech, to advance in-space manufacturing under the NOM4D programme.
➁ The third and final phase of NOM4D will involve orbital demonstrations to evaluate materials and assembly processes in space.
➂ The NOM4D programme aims to overcome space cargo constraints and enable in-orbit construction of larger and more mass-efficient structures.
➀ BBN Technologies is developing a prototype photonic chip using exotic quantum states of 'squeezed light' as part of DARPA's INSPIRED program; ➁ The chip requires detection sensitivity 16 dB below the fundamental 'shot noise' limit, surpassing conventional sensors; ➂ The technology aims to provide users with environmental data with greater than ten times the precision of current sensors, with potential applications in LiDAR, fiber-based sensing, biosensing, and more.
➀ SiC and GaN, as third-generation semiconductors, have gained popularity due to their wide bandgap; ➁ The U.S. is investing heavily in ultra-wide bandgap (UWBG) semiconductor technology; ➂ DARPA has announced a contract with Raytheon to develop ultra-wide bandgap semiconductors using diamond and aluminum nitride; ➃ Element Six, a synthetic diamond material company, is leading a project under DARPA's UWBGS program to advance semiconductor technology; ➄ The U.S. government is investing in the development of UWBG semiconductors, including projects at North Carolina State University.
1. DARPA awards Lockheed Martin a $4.6 million contract to develop AI tools for airborne missions. 2. The project involves advanced Modeling and Simulation (M&S) and AI agents for live, multi-ship, beyond visual range (BVR) missions. 3. The AI tools will be developed over an 18-month period and aim to enhance tactical autonomy in air combat missions.