Multi-band RF and mm-wave design solutions for integrated RF functions in liquid crystal polymer system-on-package technology

Electronic packaging evolution involves systems, technology and material considerations. In this paper, we present a liquid crystal polymer (LCP) based multilayer packaging technology that is rapidly emerging as an ideal platform for low cost, multi-band and reconfigurable RF front-end module integration. LCP's very low water absorption (0.04%), low cost and high electrical performance makes it very appealing for RF applications. Here we describe main characteristics and real performance of LCP substrate, by means of several design examples. A Single-Input-Single-Output (SISO) dual-band filter operating at ISM 2.4-2.5 GHz and UNII 5.15-5.85 GHz frequency bands, a dual polarization, dual frequency 2/spl times/1 antenna operating at 14 and 35 GHz, and a WLAN IEEE 802.11a compliant compact module (volume of 75/spl times/35/spl times/0.2 mm/sup 3/) have been fabricated on LCP substrate, showing the great potential of the System-On-Package approach for 3D compact, multi-band and reconfigurable integrated RF and millimeter waves functions and modules.

[1]  S. Pinel,et al.  Very high-Q inductors using RF-MEMS technology for System-On-Package wireless communication integrated module , 2003, IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest, 2003.

[2]  Manos M. Tentzeris,et al.  W-band characterization of finite ground coplanar transmission lines on liquid crystal polymer (LCP) substrates , 2003, 53rd Electronic Components and Technology Conference, 2003. Proceedings..

[3]  M. Hauhe,et al.  Design and performance of a high density 3D microwave module , 1997, 1997 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest.

[4]  Eric Rius,et al.  Narrow bandpass filters using dual-behavior resonators , 2003 .

[5]  C. Quendo,et al.  An original topology of dual-band filter with transmission zeros , 2003, IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest, 2003.

[6]  Pulugurtha Markondeya Raj,et al.  Evaluation of liquid crystal polymers for high performance SOP application , 2002, 52nd Electronic Components and Technology Conference 2002. (Cat. No.02CH37345).

[7]  Sudipto Chakraborty,et al.  Integrated RF function architectures in fully-organic SOP technology , 2001, IEEE 10th Topical Meeting on Electrical Performance of Electronic Packaging (Cat. No. 01TH8565).

[8]  J. Laskar,et al.  Liquid crystal polymer-based integrated passive development for RF applications , 2003, IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest, 2003.

[9]  C.P. Wong,et al.  Liquid crystal polymers (LCP) for high performance SOP applications , 2002, 2002 Proceedings. 8th International Advanced Packaging Materials Symposium (Cat. No.02TH8617).

[10]  Kyutae Lim,et al.  A highly integrated transceiver module for 5.8 GHz OFDM communication system using multi-layer packaging technology , 2001, 2001 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Sympsoium Digest (Cat. No.01CH37157).

[11]  Kristof Vaesen,et al.  Single-package integration of RF blocks for a 5 GHz WLAN application , 2001 .