Dual Grid Array Antennas in a Thin-Profile Package for Flip-Chip Interconnection to Highly Integrated 60-GHz Radios

• Published in: IEEE transactions on antennas and propagation Vol. 59; no. 4; pp. 1191 - 1199
• Main Authors: Zhang, Y P, Sun, M, Duixian Liu, Yilong Lu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.04.2011; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: 60-GHz radio; Antenna arrays; Antenna feeds; Antenna radiation patterns; Antennas; Applied sciences; Arrays; Ball grid array package; Bonding; Ceramics; Exact sciences and technology; Gain; grid array antenna; Ground plane; low temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC); Microstrip; Packages; Printed circuits; Radio; Radiocommunications; Telecommunications; Telecommunications and information theory; Performance evaluation; Die; Interconnection; grid array antenna; Printed circuit board; 60-GHz radio; Antenna array; Cost lowering; Ball grid array package; Low temperature; low temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC)
• ISSN: 0018-926X; 1558-2221
• DOI: 10.1109/TAP.2011.2109358

We examine the current development of highly integrated 60-GHz radios with an interest in antenna-circuit interfaces. We design and analyze grid array antennas with special attention to the differential feeding and the patterned ground plane. More importantly, we integrate two grid array antennas in a package; propose the way of assembling it to the system printed circuit board; and demonstrate a total solution of low cost and thin profile to highly integrated 60-GHz radios. We show that the package in low temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) technology measures only 13×13×0.575 mm 3 ; can carry a 60-GHz radio die of current and future sizes with flip-chip bonding; and achieves good antenna performance in the 60-GHz band with maximum gain of 13.5 and 14.5 dBi for the single-ended and differential antennas, respectively.