In this study, a band-pass filter schema of serial configuration has been proposed and realized using the LTCC multilayer process. In the proposed configuration, the method of producing two finite transmission zeros by the grounding capacitor is entirely different from that by the traditional coupling capacitor between I/O ports. Two band-pass filters with different pass-bands were designed and demonstrated. The circuit design, LTCC layout, EM simulation and experimental results were thoroughly described.
The measurement results were found to agree well with the EM simulation results. Both the fabricated band-pass filters were compact with low insertion loss in the pass-band and high suppression in the rejection area. Finally, the serial-configuration design concept described in this study is clearly extendable to two networks with positive and negative reactance to generate transmission zeros.
On the other hand, a RF front-end antenna switch module with embedded antenna has also been proposed and designed. The effect of the bond wire has been taken into account while integrating the DPDT switch and the buried circuits into this module. The input impedance matching will be affected by the bond wire if we don’t consider it. Each component of this module has been fully demonstrated, including configuration, EM simulation, and experimental results. The issues of couplings among all the components in the module have also been simulated and discussed. The radiation patterns of the embedded antenna are quite omni-directional in three principal planes. The method for saving the simulation time has been mentioned and it really does the work. Besides, the experimental results agreed quite well with the EM simulation ones. Finally, we have designed and realized a compact RF front-end System-on-Package antenna switch
module using the LTCC multi-layer technology, and it can be applied in IEEE 802.11a applications. In the future, we can extend this single-band antenna switch module to a dual-band module, which includes dual-band filters and dual-band antenna. Furthermore, we can even integrate the power amplifier and the low-noise amplifier into this dual-band RF front-end antenna switch module, to form a multi-functional RF System-on-Package and make it be suitable for IEEE 802.11a/b/g WLAN applications.
References
[1] A. Sutono, D. Heo, Y.-J. E. Chen, and J. Laskar, “High-Q LTCC-based passive library for wireless system-on-package (SOP) module development”, in IEEE Trans.
on Microwave Theory and Techniques, Vol. 49, No. 10, pp. 1715-1724, Oct. 2001.
[2] N. K. Das and H. L. Bertoni, Ed., Directions for the Next Generation of MMIC Devices and Systems, pp. 105-111, Plenum Press, New York, 1997.
[3] C. M. Scanlan and N. Karim, System-in package technology, application and trends, http://www.amkor.com/products/notes_papers/.
[4] R. R. Tummala and V. K. Madisetti, “System on chip or system on package?”, in IEEE Design & Test of Computers, Vol. 16, No. 2, pp. 48-56, Apr.-June 1999.
[5] Lap Kun Yeung and Ke-Li Wu, “A compact Second-Order LTCC Bandpass Filter with Two Finite Transmission Zeros,” in IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech., vol.
51, pp. 337-341, February 2003.
[6] Ching-Wen Tang, Yin-Ching Lin, and Chi-Yang Chang, “Realization of Transmission Zeros in Combline Filters Using an Auxiliary Inductively Coupled Ground Plane,” in IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech., vol. 51, pp. 2112-2118, Oct.
2003.
[7] A. Sutono, J. Laskar, and W.R. Smith, “Development of Integrated Three Dimensional Bluetooth Image Reject Filter,” in IEEE Microwave Symposium Digest.,2000 IEEE MTT-S International, vol.1, pp.339-342, June 2000.
[8] I. Awai, A.C. Kundu, and T. Yamashita, “Equivalent-circuit representation and explanation of attenuation poles of a dual-mode dielectric-resonator bandpass filter,”
in IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory and Tech., vol. 46 , pp. 2159-2163, Dec. 1998.
[9] V. Piatnitsa, E. Jakku, and S. Leppaevuori, “Design of a 2-pole LTCC filter for wireless communications,” in IEEE Trans. Wireless Communications, vol. 3 , pp.379 - 381, March 2004.
[10] Chang-Ho Lee, A. Sutono, S. Han, K. Lim, S. Pinel, E.M. Tentzeris, and J. Laskar,
“A compact LTCC-based Ku-band transmitter module,” in IEEE Trans. Advanced Packaging, vol. 25 , pp. 374-384, Aug. 2002.
[11] A. Simine, V. Piatnitsa, A. Lapshin, E. Jakku, D. Kholodnyak, S. Leppaevuori, and I.
Vendik, “Design of quasi-lumped-element LTCC filters and duplexers for wireless communications,” in European Microwave Conference, vol. 3, pp. 911-914, Oct.
2003.
[12] W.Y. Leung, K.-K.M. Cheng, and K.L. Wu, “Multilayer LTCC bandpass filter design with enhanced stopband characteristics,” in IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters, vol. 12 , pp. 240-242, July 2002.
[13] David M. Pozar, Microwave Engineering, 2nd ed. New York: Wiley, 1998.
[14] Microwave Office, Applied Wave Research, Inc., El Segundo, CA, 2002.
[15] HFSS, Ansoft Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA, 2001.
[16] R.R. Tummala, Fundamentals of Microsystems Packaging. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001.
[17] J. Laskar, “System on package and system on chip trade-offs,” in IEEE Workshop on Circuits and Systems for Wireless Communications and Networking, South Bend, IN, Aug. 2001.
[18] K.Lim et al., “RF-System-On-Package (SOP) for Wireless Communications”, in IEEE Microwave Magazine, Vol.3, No.1, pp.88-99, March 2002.
[19] F. Alimenti, P. Mezzanotte, L. Roselli, and R. Sorrentino, “Modeling and characterization of the bonding-wire interconnection,” in IEEE Trans. on Microwave Theory & Tech., vol.49, no. 1, pp. 142-150, Jan. 2001.
[20] Mohamed A.I. Mostafa, J. Schlang, and S. Lazar, “On-Chip RF Filters Using Bond Wire Inductors,” in 14 th Annual IEEE Int. ASIC/SOC. Conf. Proc., pp. 98-102, Sept.
2001.
[21] Jun Yi Chuang, Sung Pi Tseng, and J. Andrew Yeh, “Radio Frequency Characterization of Bonding Wire Interconnections in A Molded Chip,” in Electronic Components and Technology Conference, in Las Vegas, NV, USA, 2004, pp.
392-399.
[22] Chun-Fu Chang and Shyh-Jong Chung, “Bandpass Filter of Serial Configuration with Two Finite Transmission Zeros Using LTCC Technology,” in IEEE Trans.
Microwave Theory Tech., vol. 53, pp. 2383-2388, Jul. 2005.