Fan-out Wafer Level Packaging of GaN Traveling Wafer Amplifier

This paper presents a Fan-out Wafer Level Packaging technology, which was developed to package a GaN-based Traveling Wafer Amplifier. The innovative packaging approach embed the broadband high-power amplifier in an epoxy molding compound. The Fan-out package includes an in-package Cu-based heatsink which is directly attached to the metalized chip backside. S-parameter measurements raised from a realized demonstrator yield a linear gain of 10 dB in DC-pulsed and 8 dB in continuous wave operation, along with a bandwidth of 15 GHz. Large-signal measurements of the demonstrator result in a saturated output-power of more than 33 dB (2 W), along with a maximum power added efficiency of 10 %.