Miniaturized Quad-Band Front-End Module for GSM using Si BiCMOS and passive integration technologies

The paper presents a highly miniaturized front end module (FEM) for GSM. The module consists of pure silicon BiCMOS RF power amplifier (PA) chip, a BiCMOS die for bias/control functions and a pHEMT switch die, all flipped on a passive integration die, which is mounted on an organic laminate substrate. All passives are integrated. Partitioning of passives is optimized to achieve minimum size (6times6times1 mm
³
) and low cost at acceptable performance. A power added efficiency (PAE) of 35% is demonstrated in the low band (870 MHz) for an output power of 32 dBm with the second harmonic (H2) below -40 dBm and third harmonic (H3) below -45 dBm