GaN mm-wave Radar Components Embedded (GRACE)

Research Project, 2018 – 2020

The GRACE project aims at development of surface mount technology (SMT) components for mm-wave (mmW) frequencies, with particular focus on radar systems in the W-band.

Low-cost high-performance radars are critical for future Enhanced Flight Vison System (EFVS) combining IR sensors and a mmW radar.

Key radar components are Power Amplifier (PAs) and Signal Sources (SSs), two functionalities that require high power. The most promising technology to deliver the required power levels in an area-effective package with potential to be cost-effective in volume production is a short-gate length GaN HEMT monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) technology. The GRACE project aims at utilizing the D01GH and the D006GHG processes from OMMIC, which are two only commercially open European MMIC processes with capability of delivering sufficient gain in the W frequency band.

The GRACE project also aims at packaging the designed MMICs using a fan-out wafer level (FOWL) packaging approach offered by Fraunhofer IZM. FOWL packaging (FOWLP) is one of the latest packaging trends in microelectronics with advantages such as significant package miniaturization, substrate-less package, lower thermal resistance, and higher performance with lower loss and low parasitic coupling