Packaging and Antenna Integration for Silicon-Based Millimeter-Wave Phased Arrays: 5G and Beyond

This article reviews current research and development as well as future opportunities for packaging and antenna integration technologies for silicon-based millimeter-wave phased arrays in emerging communication applications. Implementations of state-of-the-art silicon-based phased arrays below 100 GHz are discussed, with emphasis on array architectures for scaling, antenna integration options, substrate materials and process, antenna design, and IC-package codesign. Opportunities and challenges to support phased array applications beyond 100 GHz are then presented, including emerging packaging architectures, interconnect characterization requirements, thermal management approaches, heterogeneous integration of multifunction chiplets, and novel antenna technologies.