Antenna-in-Package Integration for a Wideband Scalable 5G Millimeter-Wave Phased-Array Module

• Published in: IEEE microwave and wireless components letters Vol. 31; no. 6; pp. 682 - 684
• Main Authors: Gu, Xiaoxiong, Liu, Duixian, Hasegawa, Yuta, Masuko, Koichiro, Baks, Christian, Suto, Yuki, Fujisaku, Yoshiharu, Sadhu, Bodhisatwa, Paidimarri, Arun, Guan, Ning, Valdes-Garcia, Alberto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 01.06.2021
• Subjects: 5G mobile communication; antenna array; Antenna measurements; antenna-in-package; ball-grid array (BGA); Band-pass filters; bandpass filter; beamforming; combiner; Dipole antennas; dual polarization; flip-chip device; liquid crystal polymer (LCP); Microwave communication; millimeter wave; multichip module (MCM); organic buildup substrate; phased array; Phased arrays; Wireless communication
• ISSN: 1531-1309; 1558-1764
• DOI: 10.1109/LMWC.2021.3071917

This work introduces a multilayered organic package with embedded antennas that enables the integration of a scalable wideband phased array module supporting the n257, n258, and n261 5G frequency bands (24.25-29.5 GHz). The package comprises: 1) an <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">8\times 8 </tex-math></inline-formula> array of dual-polarized antenna elements with 5.1-mm spacing; 2) RF, intermediate frequency (IF), dc, and digital interconnects to support radio-frequency integrated circuits (RFICs), filters, and combiners; and 3) a ball-grid array (BGA); it is implemented in a compact 42.5 mm<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">\times 42.5 </tex-math></inline-formula> mm<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">\times 1.65 </tex-math></inline-formula> mm form factor. The design achieves wideband operation with a minimal cost or a complexity overhead (e.g., air cavities or additional substrates) by integrating a novel magnetoelectric dipole antenna in the package. Direct probing and radiation pattern measurements of three antenna variants in two prototype antenna array packages demonstrate >6-GHz bandwidth with 0-5-dBi gain. Measurement results for associated liquid crystal polymer-based bandpass filters and power combiners are also presented.