Inductors from wafer-level package process for high performance RF applications

In this paper, inductors embedded in a mold material are characterized. Due to the low-loss property of the mold material, plated Cu inductors show high quality-factor (Q) performance. This performance is also better than those of similar inductors implemented from our IPD process. The mold material is not only used as a supporting substrate, but also served as package substrate, which allows the high-Q inductors to be implemented with other RF chips (CMOS PA for example) in one single package. Design methodology for such packaging environment is discussed.