The operation frequency of many applications in the communication and sensing domain is moving towards the mmWave (30-300 GHz) range. At these frequencies, compact solutions such as System-in-package or Antenna-in-package (AiP) are needed in order to minimize losses by reducing the number of transitions and the length of connections. In these types of architectures, different components (e.g. antenna elements, passives, IC's, …) are integrated in the same package, as opposed to state-of-the-art (SotA) solutions where all these elements are placed as separate components on a board, at the expenses of additional losses.
Packaging technologies are key enablers for the high level of integration required by AiP applications, and multiple technology parameters such as material choice, pattern resolution, manufacturing tolerances, surface roughness, etc. will impose constrains in design choices and ultimately impact the RF performance of the system. This means that design cannot be decoupled from packaging technology choices and that a deep understanding of technology advantages and limitations is necessary in order to achieve the desired performances.
For many applications in the 5G domain, a band select filter is required. However, integration of the filter directly in the package in proximity of the antenna can be challenging to achieve because of size constraints. Therefore, novel integration strategies and design concepts have to be developed considering the opportunities offered by both SotA and emerging packaging technologies. This project aims at finding solutions to integrate in a package a band select filter and an antenna system for 5G operations and to manufacture the package in the most suitable technology.
Project objectiveWithin this project, which is a joint collaboration between TU/e and CITC (
www.citc.org),
the candidate will design highly integrated solutions for an antenna system and a high-Q filter
for AiP for 5G applications. Furthermore, the candidate will explore different technology paths to realize the proposed designs and investigate the impact of technology choices on
RF performance.
The project aims at:
- Designing and manufacturing demonstrator(s) in different packaging technologies
- Validating the demonstrator
- Producing an overview of technology parameters and their impact on RF performances.