Development of Thin-Film Liquid Crystal Polymer Surface Mount Packages for Ka-band Applications

We present the development of thin-film liquid crystal polymer (LCP) surface mount packages for packaging MMIC's in Ka-band. The packages are constructed using multilayer LCP films and can be surface mounted on a printed circuit board. Our experimental results demonstrate that the package feed-through transition including bond wires achieve a return loss of -15 dB at 30 GHz and an insertion loss of less than 1 dB in the Ka-band. With the use of an off-package matching network, we achieve the input return loss of less than ~ -15 dB from 28 GHz to 31 GHz and less than ~ -20 dB from 31 GHz to 36 GHz. The use of LCP enclosure provides the near hermetic capabilities in a compact structure

[1]  K. Takahashi,et al.  Surface mountable liquid crystal polymer package with vertical via transition compensating wire inductance up to V-band , 2003, IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest, 2003.

[2]  Anh-Vu Pham,et al.  Development of microwave package models utilizing on-wafer characterization techniques , 1997 .

[3]  H. Morkner,et al.  Two novel broadband MMIC amplifiers in SMT package for 1 to 40 GHz low cost applications , 2005, 2005 European Microwave Conference.

[4]  Joy Laskar,et al.  Application of digital PGA technology to K-band microcircuit and microwave subsystem packages , 2000 .

[5]  R. Ross,et al.  LCP injection molded packages - keys to JEDEC 1 performance , 2004, 2004 Proceedings. 54th Electronic Components and Technology Conference (IEEE Cat. No.04CH37546).

[6]  S. Nelson,et al.  Optimum microstrip interconnects , 1991, 1991 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest.

[7]  P. Tasker,et al.  DC-50 GHz Low Loss Thermally Enhanced Low Cost LCP Package Process Utilizing Micro Via Technology , 2006, 2006 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest.

[8]  Kenichi Fujii,et al.  A 6-30GHz image-rejection distributed resistive MMIC mixer in a low cost surface mount package , 2005, IMS 2005.

[9]  J. Yeh,et al.  Return loss reduction of molded bonding wires by comb capacitors , 2006, IEEE Transactions on Advanced Packaging.

[10]  L. Roselli,et al.  Multi-band RF and mm-wave design solutions for integrated RF functions in liquid crystal polymer system-on-package technology , 2004, 2004 Proceedings. 54th Electronic Components and Technology Conference (IEEE Cat. No.04CH37546).

[11]  Mikio Fujii,et al.  77-GHz-band surface mountable ceramic package , 2000 .

[12]  C. Kapusta,et al.  Design and Development of a Package Using LCP for RF/Microwave MEMS Switches , 2006, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques.

[13]  M. Tentzeris,et al.  RF characteristics of thin film liquid crystal polymer (LCP) packages for RF MEMS and MMIC integration , 2005, IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest, 2005..

[14]  Anh-Vu Pham,et al.  Development of molded liquid crystal polymer surface mount packages for millimeter wave applications , 2005, IEEE 14th Topical Meeting on Electrical Performance of Electronic Packaging, 2005..

[15]  Mingwei Li,et al.  Micromachining of liquid crystal polymer film with frequency converted diode-pumped Nd:YVO4 laser , 2003, SPIE LASE.

[16]  J. Laskar,et al.  Development of On-Wafer Microstrip Characterization Techniques , 1996, 47th ARFTG Conference Digest.

[17]  N. Evers,et al.  Development of Multilayer Organic Modules for Hermetic Packaging of RF MEMS Circuits , 2006, 2006 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest.

[18]  D. Nicholson Low return loss DC to 60 GHz SMT package with performance verification by precision 50 Ohm load , 2005, 2005 European Microwave Conference.