Akoustis Technologies, Inc., an integrated device manufacturer (IDM) of patented bulk acoustic wave (BAW) high-band RF filters for mobile and other wireless applications, announced today that it has completed qualification and released its internally developed proprietary wafer-level-packaging (WLP) technology for the 5G mobile, Wi-Fi, timing control, and other markets.
In response to global supply chain challenges, Akoustis has been developing proprietary WLP technology in its New York fab facility for the past year while also rapidly expanding its manufacturing capacity to target the 5G mobile device, Wi-Fi, timing control, and other markets with its XBAW® filter products and advanced packaging. The Company has used its first Tier-1 5G mobile customer to exercise the manufacturing process of its new WLP technology and as the qualification vehicle. The first WLP packages have been production released for the 5G mobile and timing control markets. The WLP technology enables BAW filter solutions with overall bump height less than 0.3 mm that can be integrated into an over molded front-end module.
Jeff Shealy, founder and CEO of Akoustis, stated, “I am pleased to report that the development of our wafer-level-package (WLP) technology manufactured in our New York fab facility has been successfully completed.” Mr. Shealy continued, “The qualification of this new, advanced WLP process and packages enables smaller form factors, lower cost and will open significant high-volume markets to Akoustis including 5G smartphones, tablets and computing, representing the largest revenue opportunities for our XBAW technology.”
Akoustis continues to experience strong demand and a growing sales funnel for its Wi-Fi, 5G mobile, and 5G infrastructure products, including CBRS XBAW filters, as well as its new XBAW and RFMi resonator and oscillator products. Akoustis continues to add new Wi-Fi design wins, many of which are expected to ramp into production in calendar year 2023.
Akoustis is actively delivering volume production of its Wi-Fi 6 tandem filter solutions, shipping multiple 5G small cell XBAW filter solutions, and delivering initial designs of its new 5G mobile filter solutions to multiple customers and is now entering the market with its new Wi-Fi 6E coexistence XBAW filter solutions. To date, Akoustis has received more than 20 customer design wins for its patented XBAW filter solutions.
Given the rapidly growing sales funnel activity, as well as ongoing interaction with customers regarding expected ramps in 5G mobile, Wi-Fi 6, and Wi-Fi 6E in calendar 2023, the Company is completing the annual production capacity increase at its New York fab to approximately 0.5 billion filters per year.