An LTCC superstrate patch antenna for 60-GHz package applications

Abstract

The increasing capabilities of high speed silicon germanium (SiGe) and complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technologies have made millimeter wave (mmWave) frequencies attractive for low-cost applications. An overview of the capabilities can be found in [1]. Promising applications could be high data rate wireless personal-area networks (WPAN) at 60 GHz [2], automotive radars at 76-77 GHz or 78-81 GHz [3], and imaging at 94 GHz [4]. These applications require small, low-profile, but high-performance packages at moderate to low cost. Such mmWave systems require not only highly-integrated radio frequency integrated circuits (RFICs), but also high-performance antennas. However, integrating an antenna into a package is not an easy task. The realization of a robust, efficient and broadband mmWave antenna within a plastic or multilayer organic (MLO) package is challenging due to assembly difficulties, limited material selection and manufacturing tolerances. In [5] we indicated that our cavity-backed folded dipole superstrate antenna has potential for integration with our 60-GHz SiGe chipset [1] in a plastic land-grid array (LGA) package [6]. This package concept includes a fused-silica substrate with antenna structures, a metal frame forming the cavity and providing the support for the fused- silica substrate, a package carrier to carry the radio frequency (RF) chip and the antenna assembly, and glob-top to protect the chip and the antenna. Although this package shows excellent performance, the assembly is still complicated and expensive. In [7], we proposed an aperture-coupled superstrate patch antenna with an embedded air cavity and an open cavity for antenna evaluation (possibly also for holding an RFIC chip). The antenna, based on printed circuit board (PCB) or MLO technology, provides high efficiency and wide bandwidth. © 2010 IEEE.