Irvine Sensors Corp.: The Costa Mesa computer...

Irvine Sensors Corp.: The Costa Mesa computer and circuitry designer has signed a $1-million defense contract to develop a stacked-chip circuitry module that researchers say will reduce the size and power requirements of circuitry while boosting performance. The technology, sometimes called a “system-in-a-cube,” could someday eliminate the need for circuit boards by stacking chips within a single module and linking them with millions of optical interconnections.

The module, which can be produced cheaper than conventional circuit board systems, would eventually contain 1,000 layers of integrated circuits, compared to the 200 to 300 connections in current microprocessors.

The contract is funded by the Ballistic Missile Defense Office and managed by the Naval Air Warfare Center in Indianapolis.