This paper presents for the first time a new paradigm in the construction of multilayer RF, digital and mixed signal circuits using conventional low-loss organic laminates. The new process termed low temperature laminated organics, LTLOtrade [1], is a multilayer parallel process where individual layers are circuitized, tested and co-laminated at temperatures below 280degC to form a multilayer structure. Both stacked and staggered via structures have been realized with LTLO, thereby allowing for the realization of any layer, and any via interconnection schemes. The LTLO technology also facilitates the introduction of embedded active and passive components allowing for true 3D package integration. To date up to 24 metal layers have been demonstrated using LTLO.

The Noise Figure of a Low Noise Amplifier is a function of the quality factor of its inductors. The lack of high-Q inductors in silicon has prevented the development of completely integrated CMOS LNAs for high sensitivity applications like GSM (1.9 GHz) and W-CDMA (2.1 GHz). Recent developments in the design of high-Q inductors (embedded in low cost IC packages) have made single-package integration of RE frontends feasible. These embedded passives provide a viable alternative to using discrete elements or low-Q on-chip passives, for achieving completely integrated solutions. Compared to on-chip inductors with low Q values and discrete passives with fixed Q's, the use of these embedded passives also leads to the development of the passive Q as a new variable in circuit design. However, higher Q values also result in new tradeoffs, particularly with respect to device size. This paper presents a novel optimization strategy for the design of completely integrated CMOS LNAs using embedded passives. The tradeoff of higher inductor size for higher Q has been adopted into the LNA design methodology. The paper also presents design issues involved in the use of multiple embedded components in the packaging substrate, particularly with reference to mutual coupling between the passives and reference ground layout.

This paper presents for the first time the design, fabrication, and implementation of a complete multi-band radio unit using SiP/SOP technology that supports dual band WLAN (802.1 1n), WiMAX (802.16e), and Bluetooth technology in a single module. This module, the Global Universal Radio Unit (GURU), serves as a platform for integration of multiple radio bands in the smallest form factor (< 70 mm2). To achieve this level of integration in the smallest form factor high Q factor band pass filters, diplexers, couplers, and a combination thereof were realized on multilayer organic substrates using a proprietary process. Multilayer organics are being targeted as the most cost effective and highest performance alternative to technologies such as low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC), multilayer ceramic (MLC) and thin film on silicon (TFOS) which also strive to integrate multiple bands in a single module. The paper presents novel packaging techniques and IC integration techniques on 6-10 layer multilayer substrates with embedded components, to achieve miniaturization. As an example, a complete dual band WLAN module is presented with two transmits and two receives in a size of 4 mm x 8 mm. The module consists of two dual band PA die, two switch die and two LNA die. The multilayer board integrates input output matching circuitry, 2 diplexers, 4 baluns and several biasing circuitry for amplifiers and switches. The current standard size for such a module in the industry is approximately 10 x 14 mm which is four times larger than the module presented here.

This article presents the design and implementation of a feedback LC oscillator in a novel multilayer laminate-type process technology that uses multiple layers of liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) substrate. The 1.8-GHz oscillator is designed using high-quality-factor (Q) lumped-element passives that are embedded in the LCP substrate. The oscillator was fabricated on a large area, high Q integrated process technology employing six metal layers with an overall height (thickness) of 0.7 mm. The microstrip-type oscillator utilizes silicon bipolar device technology and measures a phase noise of -117 dBc/Hz at 100-KHz offset. Including the output buffer, the fully packaged oscillator occupies an area of 5.3 × 4.8 mm 2 and, under steady state, the oscillator consumes 10 mW from a 2.7-V power supply. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE, 2006.

This paper presents the design of a 3 pole WLAN filter that utilizes integrated passive device (IPD) attached to a substrate to reduce size and improve filter performance increase yield, and achieve thinner modules. The design uses liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) technology as an alternative to LTCC and discrete solutions

This paper presents the design, fabrication, and electrical/thermal characterization of a reduced size broadband transformer balun. The balun is designed for operation in the range of 950MHz to 2.15GHz to be used in direct broadcasting satellite (DBS) front end modules. The balun is fabricated on low-loss organic laminated substrate and measures 2mmtimes1.6mm with a thickness of 0.5mm. Measurement of more than 1500 baluns, in a 75Omega system provides amplitude imbalance of less than plusmn0.5dB, phase imbalance of less than 5deg, return loss of better than 10dB, and insertion loss of better than 1.2dB

The use of high performance integrated passive devices (IPD) allows an optimum solution in the tradeoff between integration and flexibility for design modification. The paper presents the integration of sub-circuits into IPD's for WLAN and distributed broadcasting satellite (DBS) applications on liquid polymer crystal (LCP)-based organic substrate technology. An integrated diplexer-coupler-harmonic filter for dual-band WLAN applications and a diplexer-balun chipset for DBS applications are presented. The WLAN IPD measures 5times6mm, exhibits directivities of 27dB and 16dB in the 2.4GHz and 5GHz band, and provides 45dB of second harmonic rejection. The DBS diplexer provides 45dBc rejection. Finally, the 2times1.25mm DBS balun utilizing high-inductive coupling shows a measured amplitude and phase balance of 0.5dB and 5deg and a minimum return loss of 10dB

This paper presents the design of a dual frequency oscillator that simultaneously generates two signals of different frequencies. The dual frequency oscillator was implemented in a novel multi-layer laminate-type process technology that uses multiple layers of liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) substrate. The oscillator core employs one lumped-element second-order resonator and one lumped-element fourth-order resonator to generate 1.79 GHz and 900 MHz synchronous signals. The silicon-bipolar based dual frequency oscillator utilizes the broad-band nature of the Qs of the passives in LCP to generate signals that are spaced at least one octave away from each other

Theuseofhighperformance Integrated Passive Devices (IPD)allowsan optimumsolution inthetradeoff betweenintegration andflexibility fordesign modification. The paperpresents theintegration ofsub-circuits intoIPD'sfor WLAN anddistributed broadcasting satellite (DBS)applications on LiquidPolymerCrystal (LCP)-based organic substrate technology. An integrated diplexer-coupler-harmonic filter for dual-band WLAN applications andadiplexer-balun chipset for DBS applications arepresented. TheWLAN IPD measures 5x6mm,exhibits directivities of27dBand16dBinthe2.4GHz and 5GHz band,and provides 45dBofsecondharmonic rejection. TheDBS diplexer provides 45dBcrejection. Finally, the2xl.25mm DBSbalunutilizing high-inductive coupling shows ameasured amplitude andphasebalance of0.5dBand50anda minimumreturn loss of10dB. IndexTerms LCP,IPD,DBS,WLAN,Transformer, Balun, Diplexer, Coupler.

Fault detection and diagnosis of RF circuits after fabrication is a time-consuming step in the manufacturing cycle. This paper presents the application of layout-level synthesis technique to the diagnosis of RF bandpass filters with embedded passives in LCP substrate. The proposed approach is based on a combination of segmented lumped circuit modeling, nonlinear mapping using polynomial functions and circuit level optimization. Bandpass filters for different electrical specifications were synthesized and fabricated. The results of synthesis are within 5% of EM measurement data. The fabricated designs require diagnosis of variations in performance metrics such as center frequency, bandwidth and transmission zeros that occurred due to process variations. Synthesis was applied to map the variations in electrical parameters to component geometries. The synthesized results predict the possible variations in physical parameters that have been confirmed with measurements of the fabricated devices.

This paper presents for the first time the design, implementation, measurements, reliability data and integration of multiple RF components such as filters, baluns, diplexers, and a combination of the above on liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) based substrates for communication standards such as 802.11 a/b/g, LMDS/MMDS, satellite/digital TV, UWB, cellular and Bluetooth type applications. These components and process technologies are being targeted as a cost-effective high-performance, miniaturized alternative to the primary technologies of choice for multi-band RF/wireless applications, namely, low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC), multi-layer ceramic (MLC) and ceramic monoblock technologies. The first examples of this platform substrate technology are very compact 12 mm/sup 3/ fully packaged SMT front-end filters with center frequencies of 2.45, 5.25 and 5.775 GHz. One embodiment of the filter at 2.45 GHz, which is well suited for 802.11 b/g and Bluetooth type applications, provides a passband of 100 MHz with maximum inband insertion loss less than 1.7 dB at 25/spl deg/C, greater than 25 dB attenuation at 2700-2800 MHz, greater than 10 dB attenuation below 2.2 GHz, greater than 20 dB rejection at the second and third harmonic and inband VSWR less than 1.5 matched to 50 ohms at the input and output.

A fast and accurate layout-level synthesis and optimization technique for embedded passive RF components and circuits such as inductors and bandpass filters have been presented. The filters are composed of embedded inductors and capacitors in a multilayer liquid crystalline polymer substrate. The proposed approach is based on a combination of segmented lumped-circuit modeling, nonlinear mapping using polynomial functions, artificial neural network-based methods, and circuit-level optimization. Synthesis and optimization results of inductors for spiral/loop designs based on microstrip and stripline configuration are within 5% of data obtained from electromagnetic (EM) simulations. For RF circuits, the methodology has been verified through synthesis of 2.4- and 5.5-GHz bandpass filters with and without transmission zeros. Scalability has been shown over a range of 2-3 and 4-6 GHz, respectively, with bandwidth variation of 0.5%-3% of center frequency. The synthesized models are within 3%-5% of EM simulation data.

This paper presents for the first time the design, implementation, measurements and reliability data of multiple RF filters on liquid crystalline polymer based substrates for different communication standards such as 802.11 a/b/g, LMDS/MMDS, cellular and Bluetooth applications. The first examples of this platform substrate technology are very compact 12 mm/sup 3/ fully packaged SMT front-end filters with center frequencies of 2.45 and 5.775 GHz. One embodiment of the filter at 2.45 GHz, which is well suited for 802.11 b/g and Bluetooth type applications, provides a passband of 100 MHz with maximum inband insertion loss less than 2 dB at 25 /spl deg/C, greater than 25 dB attenuation at 2700-2800 MHz, greater than 10 dB attenuation below 2.2 GHz, greater than 20 dB rejection at the seconds and third harmonic and inband VSWR less than 1.5 matched to 50 ohms at the input and output.

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) issues in implementing a mixed-signal system-on-package (SOP) are investigated. Each of the testbeds utilized in our experimentations consists of a digital circuit and a RF front-end circuit with embedded passives, but they vary in terms of the route of the digital trace. With these testbeds, we demonstrate two different EMI mechanisms. The first results in EMI due to capacitive coupling through a small slot and intermodulation between the digital and RF signals. Even when the frequency of the digital signal is much lower than that of the RF signal, this mechanism causes new harmonics of the digital signal to appear around the frequency of the RF signal. The second mechanism produces EMI due to coupling through the common power bus in the package. To prevent such EMI issues, we describe differential signaling of the digital interface as our future work. Our results indicate the correct direction for EMI design in developing mixed-signal SOP.

This paper presents the design of compact diplexers for applications such as dualband WLAN (802.11 a/b/g), and Satellite TV applications in organic laminates based multilayer substrates that use materials such as Liquid Crystalline Polymer (LCP). LCP based devices such as filters, baluns and diplexers have been demonstrated by the authors in [1, 2]. This paper focuses on the design of various diplexers. The first examples of diplexers using this platform substrate technology are very compact 3.5x2.2x0.75mm(3) and 2.2x1.5x0.75mm(3) 3 fully packaged SMT diplexers with passbands suitable for 802.11 a/b/g namely 2.4-2.5, and 4.9-5.9 GHz. The larger embodiment of the diplexer provides greater than 30dB isolation between the bands and greater than 40dB rejection of the second harmonics and greater than 30 dB rejection of the third harmonic of each band while guaranteeing less than 1.5dB insertion loss and VSWR < 2 from -25 degrees C to 85 degrees C.

Although the Marchand topology has been used extensively to implement wideband baluns, its size is prohibitively large at low frequencies. Several methods have been proposed in the past to reduce the balun size, but they also result in a reduction of the percentage bandwidth. This paper presents an approach to implement compact wideband baluns, by employing two additional lumped reactances at the output of the Marchand balun. A design methodology for the baluns is proposed that allows simultaneous optimization of size and bandwidth. Using a multilayer LCP packaging technology, a wideband balun operating in the 5GHz band has been designed and fabricated. Measurements show a percentage bandwidth of 53% centered around 6.2GHz (for S11 < -10dB) at the same time effecting a size reduction of 64% over a conventional Marchand balun.

Sensitivity of a low noise amplifier (LNA) is a function of the noise figure, which in turn is dependant on the quality factors (Qs) of the passives used in the LNA circuit. High-Q embedded passives on organic substrates provide a viable alternative to using discrete elements or low-Q on-chip passives. This paper discusses an integrated LNA using embedded high-Q passives for Bluetooth applications.

This work reports synthesis, characterization and integration of sub-micron thick nano-grained barium titanate films on organic Printed Wiring Boards (PWB). Barium titanate films were synthesized on titanium foils at 95∘C. SEM of films revealed 80 nm grains. The films were characterized using XRD, FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. As-synthesized films exhibited high capacitance densities and dielectric loss. The films were treated with oxygen plasma to reduce entrapped hydroxyl groups and this resulted in improved dielectric properties. The plasma treated films exhibited a capacitance density of 1 μ F/cm2 and a dielectric loss of 0.06. The high frequency dielectric properties were extracted from s-parameter measurements on CPW structures on these films and were found to be stable up to 8 GHz.