Method and system for co-packaging gallium nitride electronics

Abstract

A method of fabricating an electronic package includes providing a package comprising a leadframe and a plurality of pins and providing a gallium nitride (GaN) transistor comprising a drain contact, a source contact, and a gate contact. The method also includes joining the drain contact to the leadframe and providing a GaN diode comprising an anode contact and a cathode contact. The method further includes joining the anode contact to the leadframe.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of fabricating an electronic package, the method comprising:
 providing a package comprising a leadframe and a plurality of pins;   providing a gallium nitride (GaN) transistor comprising a drain contact, a source contact, and a gate contact;   joining the drain contact to the leadframe;   providing a GaN diode comprising an anode contact and a cathode contact; and   joining the anode contact to the leadframe.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 electrically connecting the cathode contact to a first pin of the plurality of pins; 
 electrically connecting the source contact to a second pin of the plurality of pins; and 
 electrically connecting the gate contact to a third pin of the plurality of pins. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 electrically connecting the cathode contact, the source contact, and the gate contact comprises at least one of wire bonding, ribbon bonding, or copper clipping.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising electrically connecting the cathode contact to an additional one or more pins of the plurality of pins. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein electrically connecting the drain contact comprises at least one of epoxying, eutectic formation, sintering or soldering. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2  wherein electrically connecting the anode contact comprises at least one of epoxying, eutectic formation, sintering or soldering. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising attaching the electronic package to a circuit board, wherein the leadframe is configured to conduct current from the drain contact of the GaN transistor and the anode contact of the GaN diode directly to the circuit board. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the GaN transistor comprises a solderable metal stack on the drain contact and a bondable metal stack on each of the source contact and gate contact. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the GaN diode comprises a second solderable metal stack on the anode contact and a second bondable metal stack on the cathode contact. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the leadframe comprises a bond pad, and further wherein the drain contact and the anode contact are joined to the leadframe via the bond pad.