Novel 3D-/Inkjet-Printed Flexible On-package Antennas, Packaging Structures, and Modules for Broadband 5G Applications

摘要

Additively manufacturing techniques including 3D and inkjet printing is used to fabricate antenna and packaging structure at mm-wave range for 5G applications. The 3D printed flexible material, FLGR02, is applied to the flexible mm-wave packaging application. The fabrication process and material characterizations including solutions to surface treatment for ink adhesion, smooth of surface roughness, and CTE mismatch between the flexible material and the silver ink are proposed. Then the proposed process is used to fabricated a broadband 5G on-package antenna. The measured S11 of the proposed on-package antenna is smaller than -10 dB from 22.4 GHz to 30.1 GHz. Besides, the measured realized gain is larger than 5 dB from 22 GHz to 30.5 GHz. The differences of realized gain within the operational bandwidth is smaller than 3 dB. The fractional bandwidth is 29.3 %. The proposed antenna is broadband enough to cover the whole 5G band from 24.5 GHz to 29.5 GHz. The size of the antenna is 5 mm×9mm which is 0.44λ₀× 0.79λ₀. The radiation patterns within the operational band is also measured. Finally, a proof-of-concept demonstration of SoP design is fabricated.