Pea-Sized mmW Transceivers: QFN-?Based Packaging Concepts for Millimeter-Wave Transceivers

Enormous technological progress accomplished over the last several decades has facilitated the use of millimeter-wave (mmW) frequencies for mass-produced products such as automotive radars, industrial sensors, highspeed data communication links, and medical devices. The main enablers are new semiconductor technologies, with constantly improving cut-off frequencies reaching several hundred gigahertz. However, the dominant limiting factor for the mass production of low-cost mmW systems above 100 GHz is that suitable packaging technologies are not yet available. Still, a dramatic increase in research and development is taking place in the area of mmW packaging. The goal of this article is to provide a short overview of the topic and then present one particular approach in detail: the idea of integrating a complete mmW front end, including the antenna, into one small solderable surface mount device (SMD).