Simplifying passive integration and simulation

As more semiconductor functions have been combined into fewer chips, the number of passive devices has remained relatively large in comparison. This is especially true for RF ICs, which require a host of passives for external matching and filtering. Dual band phones are now being manufactured with less than 50 semiconductors but over 500 supporting passives. Integrated Passive Devices (IPDs) and Modules in chip scale or near chip scale packages are a powerful ally in the quest for smaller size and cost reduction, demanded by mobile system manufacturers. Ceramic and thin film technologies are the most prevalent IPD solutions in the marketplace. However, with more integration comes added design complexity and the need to simulate product performance. To address this problem, RF simulation software is needed to tightly couple standard circuit simulators such as ADS. This would offer great flexibility to model the entire sub-system and determine optimum partitioning between on-chip and IPD components. Such simulation capability would greatly minimize the need for trial and error optimisation at the prototype stage (by swapping out individual component values).