MACOM unveils industry's first SMT L-Band 90W GaN power module

M/A-COM Technology Solutions, a leading supplier of high performance RF, microwave, and millimeter wave products, announced their newest entry in its portfolio of GaN in Plastic packaged power products. Optimized for L-Band commercial air traffic control, military radar, and long range perimeter monitoring applications at 1.2 to 1.4 GHz, MACOM's new 2-stage, fully matched GaN in Plastic power module scales to peak pulse power levels of 100W in a 14 x 24 mm package size - delivering twice the power of comparably sized competing products. MACOM's new high gain GaN in Plastic power modules are the first and only GaN-based modules to support surface mount technology (SMT) assembly, providing significant cost and process advantages compared to ceramic-packaged flange-mount components. Delivering clear benefits in size, weight and power (SWaP) while enabling high volume manufacturing efficiency, MACOM's new GaN power modules extend the performance attributes of its discrete GaN in Plastic power transistors and establish new standards for GaN module integration. Under pulsed conditions, these modules deliver output power greater than 90W, with 30 dB typical associated power gain and 58% typical power added efficiency. Supporting 50V operation and up to 3 ms pulse width/duration for improved time on target, MACOM's GaN in Plastic power modules reduce overall power consumption and cooling requirements compared to existing options. The module features a Land Grid Array (LGA) pattern for enhanced thermal flow and "True SMT" assembly. All inputs and outputs are formed on the back of the module and include edge castellations for ease of assembly inspection. The module's flexible design allows for gate and/or drain pulsing, and includes a gate voltage sense port for use in temperature compensation or pulse droop compensation. Leveraging sophisticated thermal management techniques to ensure high reliability, the calculated mean-time-to-failure (MTTF) at 200?C is approximately 600 years. "Building on a long history of providing similarly sized, very high power LGA module solutions in GaAs, MACOM's GaN in Plastic power modules represent a pivotal evolution in GaN semiconductor technology, providing high overall power performance in a light, ultra-compact 14 x 24 mm package while enabling the greatest possible ease of assembly," said Damian McCann, Engineering Director, MACOM. "This modular, SMT-optimized approach unlocks the full promise of GaN in Plastic for radar applications and introduces unprecedented efficiencies from design to manufacturing." MACOM