SLC‐based AiP for Phased Array Applications

The increasing capabilities of high‐speed silicon technologies have made millimeter‐wave frequencies attractive for low‐cost applications. This chapter focuses on large‐array antenna‐in‐package (AiP) designs based on surface laminar circuit (SLC) technology at 28 and 94 GHz. It investigates antenna designs considering both manufacturability and the general performance requirements and presents a 30.5‐GHz antenna design and associated characterization results. The antenna design is based on SLC technology and supports both horizontal and vertical polarizations to enable realization of a large phased‐array module with multiple simultaneous beams for 5G applications. The chapter provides information on the AiP portion of the first reported SiGe‐based scalable phased‐array module to illustrate the challenges and initial solutions. Millimeter‐wave scaled phased arrays support many antenna elements. Phased‐array scaling is advantageous because it provides a path for supporting antenna arrays with a larger number of elements than a single integrated circuit can support.