A Model of Air-Gap Through-Silicon Vias (TSVs) for Microwave Applications

In this letter, Ground-Signal-Ground type through-silicon vias (TSVs) are designed to achieve millimeter wave applications in three-dimensional integrated circuits (3-D ICs). Air-gap is exploited as the insulation layer due to the low permittivity. The accurate wideband equivalent-circuit model are established with frequency up to 20 GHz by using a set of resistance inductance capacitance conductance (RLGC) parameters, which are derived from the different design physical parameters and materials of the TSVs. Good agreements between the proposed models and full-wave simulation of Ansoft's HFSS are shown over a wide frequency range of interest.