Development of E-band Transmitter Chipset Using Wafer Level Chip Size Package Technology

摘要

We have developed a transmitter chipset using a new tripler, up-converter, and power amplifier, and arranged the chipset in a transmitter. Monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) of these devices are designed using our wafer level chip size package (WLCSP) technology, and reflow-soldered on a 16 mm x 12 mm printed circuit board (PCB). The WLCSP technology enables the development of highly integrated package-free flip-chip MMICs suitable for surface mounting, and is therefore expected to reduce production costs significantly. To achieve high performance at the E-band frequency, 1) the amplifier is designed with a dual or triple high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) topology, with the power amplifier designed with a variable gain scheme, 2) The tripler effectively cancels the second harmonic of input signals that otherwise leak into the E-band frequency, and 3) the up-converter uses a balanced resistive mixer and a pair of 90° broadside couplers. The transmitter that incorporates these new devices exhibits a conversion gain of 22 dB and saturated output power level of 20 dBm at 81 - 86 GHz.