skip to main content


Title: A Novel Low Loss 3D System-in-Package Approach for 60GHz Antenna on Chip Applications
This paper presents a novel low loss 3D system in package (SiP) approach for achieving antenna-on-chip integration. Specifically, this design uses 3D through silicon via (TSV) technology to achieve a vertical SiP phased array radio. The fully integrated package consists of a digital baseband chip, a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC), and lastly a microstrip patch phased array. The 3D TSVs achieve an insertion loss of less than 0.4 dB/pair at millimeter-wave frequencies. The differential fed microstrip patch array achieves a return loss of 40 dB at a 60 GHz center frequency with 4 GHz instantaneous bandwidth. The antenna array achieves an E and H plane realized gain of 17.1 dBi for a 4×4 element design. In addition, this design approach enables individual fabrication of each element to maximize yield with low cost assembly using ball grid array (BGA) technology. Lastly, this design does not require special design rules that comprise either transistor or antenna performance as compared to other methods outlined in antenna on chip design.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1816112
NSF-PAR ID:
10295748
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
2020 IEEE 63rd International Midwest Symposium on Circuits and Systems (MWSCAS)
ISSN:
1558-3899
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. Abstract

    Highly integrated, flexible, and ultrathin wireless communication components are in significant demand due to the explosive growth of portable and wearable electronic devices in the fifth‐generation (5G) network era, but only conventional metals meet the requirements for emerging radio‐frequency (RF) devices so far. Here, it is reported on Ti3C2TxMXene microstrip transmission lines with low‐energy attenuation and patch antennas with high‐power radiation at frequencies from 5.6 to 16.4 GHz. The radiation efficiency of a 5.5 µm thick MXene patch antenna manufactured by spray‐coating from aqueous solution reaches 99% at 16.4 GHz, which is about the same as that of a standard 35 µm thick copper patch antenna at about 15% of its thickness and 7% of the copper weight. MXene outperforms all other materials evaluated for patch antennas to date. Moreover, it is demonstrated that an MXene patch antenna array with integrated feeding circuits on a conformal surface has comparable performance with that of a copper antenna array at 28 GHz, which is a target frequency in practical 5G applications. The versatility of MXene antennas in wide frequency ranges coupled with the flexibility, scalability, and ease of solution processing makes MXene promising for integrated RF components in various flexible electronic devices.

     
    more » « less
  2. This paper presents a compact phased-array antenna for efficient and high-gain millimeter-wave-based 3D beam steering applications. The proposed antenna array consists of 2 × 2 unit cells and each unit cell is a sub-array comprising of 2 × 2 patch elements connected to microstrip lines that are co-fed by a single coaxial cable. Two 45° phase shifting lines are incorporated in each sub-array to facilitate the wide beamsteering range. The dimensions of the proposed phased array antenna are 24 × 24 × 0.324 mm 3 . Simulation results show that the proposed phased-array antenna has a resonating frequency at 58.4 GHz with an operational bandwidth from 50.1 GHz to 77.5 GHz along with a high gain of 26.8 dBi. The array exhibits a maximum beam steering range of 105° in the elevation plane and 195° in the azimuth plane with a gain variation less than 0.9 dBi. 
    more » « less
  3. As 6G wireless communications push the operation frequency above 110 GHz, it is critical to have low-loss interconnects that can be accurately tested. To this end, D-band (110 GHz to 170 GHz) substrate-integrated waveguides (SIWs) are designed on a 100-μm-thick SiC substrate. The fabricated SIWs are probed on-wafer in a single sweep from 70 kHz to 220 GHz with their input/output transitioned to grounded coplanar waveguides (GCPWs). From CPW-probed scattering parameters, two-tier calibration is used to de-embed the SIW-GCPW transitions and to extract the intrinsic SIW characteristics. In general, the record low loss measured agrees with that obtained from finite-element full-wave electromagnetic simulation. For example, across the D band, the average insertion loss is approximately 0.2 dB/mm, which is several times better than that of coplanar or microstrip transmission lines fabricated on the same substrate. A 3-pole filter exhibits a 1-dB insertion loss at 135 GHz with 20-dB selectivity and 11% bandwidth, which is order-of-magnitude better than typical on-chip filters. These results underscore the potential of using SIWs to interconnect transistors, filters, antennas, and other circuit elements on the same monolithically integrated chip. 
    more » « less
  4. This article presents the design of a planar MIMO (Multiple Inputs Multiple Outputs) antenna comprised of two sets orthogonally placed 1 × 12 linear antenna arrays for 5G millimeter wave (mmWave) applications. The arrays are made of probe-fed microstrip patch antenna elements on a 90 × 160 mm2 Rogers RT/Duroid 5880 grounded dielectric substrate. The antenna demonstrates S11 = −10 dB impedance bandwidth in the following 5G frequency band: 24.25–27.50 GHz. The scattering parameters of the antenna were computed by electromagnetic simulation tools, Ansys HFSS and CST Microwave Studio, and were further verified by the measured results of a fabricated prototype. To achieve a gain of 12 dBi or better over a scanning range of +/−45° from broadside, the Dolph-Tschebyscheff excitation weighting and optimum spacing are used. Different antenna parameters, such as correlation coefficient, port isolation, and 2D and 3D radiation patterns, are investigated to determine the effectiveness of this antenna for MIMO operation, which will be very useful for mmWave cellphone applications in 5G bands.

     
    more » « less
  5. This paper presents modeling and optimization of the steering range of a microstrip planar phased array antenna to steer the unidirectional near-field focused beam towards a certain direction. This antenna can be implemented in headstage-based neural stimulation system and wireless recording system for optogenetic neuromodulation applications. The proposed phased-array antenna consists of sixteen elements that are designed to provide a uniform power transmission over the 27 cm×23 cm×16 cm rat behavioral cage area. The proposed transmitter (TX) antenna implements a near-field-based wireless power transmission system operating at 2.4 GHz frequency. The phased array antenna steers the beam from -30° to 60° in the elevation plane by feeding the individual elements with different phases using four 4-bit phase shifters. A design analysis of the beam-steering approach of the phased array antenna is presented and the corresponding simulation and measurement results are included in this paper. 
    more » « less