High harmonic performance radio frequency filter

Abstract

This invention discloses a radio frequency (RF) filter that vertically integrates an acoustic filter with an integrated passive device (IPD) filter. The acoustic filter provides selectivity in the fundamental frequency band, while the IPD filter provides suppression in the harmonic frequency band.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This case generally concerns antennas, and more particularly, but not exclusively, high harmonic efficiency radio frequency (RF) filters and their manufacturing techniques. Prior Technology

[0002] Integrated circuit technology has made significant progress in improving computing power through the miniaturization of both active and passive components. Packaged devices can be found in many electronic devices, including processors, servers, and radio frequency (RF) integrated circuits. Packaging technology has become more economical in high-pin-count devices and / or high-volume components.

[0003] Inductive-capacitive (LC) type RF filters (such as low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) and glass-based passive (POG) filters) do not have a sharp skirt (roll-off). That is, they may have relatively poor near-band selectivity. Similarly, acoustic filters (such as bulk acoustic (BAW) filters have a sharp skirt. However, they suffer from the inability to control harmonic bands (e.g., second, third, fourth harmonics, etc.). In other words, they may have relatively poor out-of-band rejection.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need for systems, apparatuses, and methods (including those provided herein) to overcome the shortcomings of general RF filters. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The following provides a simplified overview of one or more variations and / or examples associated with the various apparatuses and methods disclosed herein. Thus, this overview should not be considered an exhaustive overview of all conceived variations and / or examples, nor should it be considered to identify key or defining elements or illustrations associated with all conceived variations and / or examples and to define the scope of any particular variation and / or example. Accordingly, the following overview serves only to present, in a simplified form, certain concepts related to one or more variations and / or examples of the apparatuses and methods disclosed herein before the detailed descriptions provided below.

[0006] An exemplary radio frequency (RF) filter is disclosed. The RF filter may include an acoustic chip that includes an acoustic filter. The acoustic filter may be one or more acoustic filters of the acoustic chip. The RF filter may also include an integrated passive device (IPD) vertically integrated with the acoustic filter. The IPD may include one or more capacitors and one or more inductors configured to form one or more passive filters including the IPD filter. The IPD filter may be any one of a low-pass filter (LPF), a high-pass filter (HPF), a band-pass filter (BPF), or a band-stop filter (BSF). The acoustic filter and the IPD filter may be electrically coupled to each other such that an electrical signal is filtered via both the acoustic filter and the IPD filter.

[0007] A method for manufacturing an RF filter is disclosed. The method may include forming an acoustic wafer including an acoustic filter. The acoustic filter may be one or more acoustic filters of the acoustic wafer. The method may also include vertically integrating an integrated passive device (IPD) with the acoustic filter. The IPD may include one or more capacitors and one or more inductors configured to form one or more passive filters including the IPD filter. The IPD filter may be any one of a low-pass filter (LPF), a high-pass filter (HPF), a band-pass filter (BPF), or a band-stop filter (BSF). The acoustic filter and the IPD filter may be electrically coupled to each other such that an electrical signal is filtered via both the acoustic filter and the IPD filter.

[0008] Based on the accompanying drawings and detailed description, other features and advantages associated with the various apparatuses and methods disclosed herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0009] A more complete understanding of the various aspects of this case and its many accompanying advantages will be readily available when considered in conjunction with the following detailed description, which is provided for illustrative purposes only and does not constitute any limitation on this case.

[0010] Figure 1 is a graph showing the response of bulk acoustic waves and LC filters to the 5G B41 band;

[0011] Figure 2 is a graph showing the response of an example RF filter for the 5G B41 band according to one or more states in this case;

[0012] Figure 3 is a graph showing the response of an example RF filter for the 5G n79 band according to one or more states in this case;

[0013] Figures 4A, 4B, and 4C illustrate examples of one or more RF filters according to this case.

[0014] Figures 5A-5G illustrate example stages of manufacturing an RF filter according to one or more of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 6-7 illustrates a flowchart of an example method for manufacturing an RF filter according to one or more of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 8 illustrates various electronic devices that can utilize one or more of the forms described in this case.

[0017] Based on the accompanying drawings and detailed description, other objects and advantages associated with the various embodiments disclosed herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. By convention, the features illustrated in the drawings may not be drawn to scale. Accordingly, for clarity, the dimensions of the illustrated features may be arbitrarily enlarged or reduced. By convention, some drawings are simplified for clarity. Therefore, the drawings may not depict all parts of a particular apparatus or method. Furthermore, similar element symbols are used throughout the specification and accompanying drawings to indicate similar features. Implementation

[0018] Various embodiments of this case are illustrated in the following description and related drawings with reference to specific embodiments. Alternative embodiments or examples may be designed without departing from the scope of this teaching. Additionally, well-known elements of the illustrative embodiments herein will not be described in detail or will be omitted so as not to obscure the relevant details of the teachings herein.

[0019] In some of the described implementation examples, instances are identified where various parts of the component structures and operations are available from known general techniques and are subsequently arranged according to one or more exemplary embodiments. In such instances, internal details of parts of known general component structures and / or operations may be omitted to help avoid potential confusion with the concepts illustrated in the illustrative embodiments disclosed herein.

[0020] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “some,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and / or “containing” as used herein specify the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0021] As indicated above, acoustic wave filters (e.g., surface acoustic wave (SAW), bulk acoustic wave (BAW), etc.) typically have a sharper roll-off response and better band selectivity (with narrow bandwidth) compared to LC-type filters (e.g., LTCC, POG, etc.). In Figure 1, for the 5G band B41 (between 2.496 and 2.690 GHz), curve 110 represents the frequency response of the BAW filter, and curve 120 represents the frequency response of the LC-type filter.

[0022] As shown in the figure, the BAW filter exhibits a very sharp roll-off at the edge of the B41 band compared to the LC filter. Therefore, the BAW filter performs better than the LC filter in suppressing frequency states immediately below 2.496 GHz and immediately above 2.690 GHz. However, some spurious responses may exist outside this immediate in-band region. For example, the BAW filter suffers bounce near 1.5 GHz and 3.5 GHz. As a result, additional LPF and HPF or BPF may be required to meet out-of-band (OOB) suppression requirements.

[0023] If an acoustic filter can be combined with other filters, an RF filter can be obtained that exhibits good performance in terms of both near-band (roll-off) and harmonics (e.g., second, third, fourth, etc.) in terms of filter suppression, module radiation control, module desensitization, and sensitivity. Attempts have been made to combine these filters by adding external filters (e.g., LPF, BPF, etc.) via lamination or individual surface mount devices (SMDs).

[0024] Unfortunately, such attempts at combining components come with their own problems. For example, adding external filters via lamination or SMD consumes considerable space and thus increases module size, and can also lead to performance degradation. SMDs are subject to manufacturing and / or assembly variations. This can cause coupling problems, which can degrade RF performance. For example, SMD-to-acoustic coupling can lead to isolation degradation. Moreover, SMD-to-SMD coupling can lead to harmonic degradation. Laminated coils are also subject to high manufacturing variations. For example, during manufacturing, the coil can differ from the design by up to 5% or even up to 10%.

[0025] Unfortunately, this can lead to significant variations in isolation, harmonic notch filtering, and impedance shifts. For both SMD and laminated coils, small variations in manufacturing can result in substantial changes in filter performance. Specifically, out-of-band (OOB) rejection can be significantly affected. In short, typical combined filters can be highly sensitive to manufacturing variations.

[0026] To address some or all of the problems of general RF filters, it is proposed to add IPD functionality to acoustic filters. That is, it is proposed to combine IPD filters (e.g., LPF, HPF, BPF, BSF, etc.) with acoustic filters (SAW, BAW, etc.) through vertical integration.

[0027] The following lists the technical advantages of the proposed RF filters (not necessarily a complete list): Adding IPD to acoustic filters increases manufacturing tolerances due to the stricter manufacturing precision required compared to lamination / SMD manufacturing. After the acoustic wafer is completed, the ball-mounting and redistribution layer (RDL) process can be implemented in existing back-end (BE) or outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) facilities (e.g., for IPD). It can improve the overall module performance due to variations in dynamics between components caused by manufacturing limitations. Adding IPD will not significantly increase costs because it can be absorbed by the BE process. Because of the vertical stacking method, adding IPDs does not increase the size of the XY device.

[0028] SAW / BAW filters are typically smaller than 1.5mm x 1.5mm. As mentioned, these filters sometimes exhibit harmonic issues. External filters (LPF, HPF, BPF, BSF) can be combined to control harmonic levels and achieve optimal module performance. Unlike laminated and SMD modules, integrating these external filters in an IPD configuration can provide combined RF filters with the same or nearly identical form factor while also offering optimal filter performance.

[0029] Figure 2 is a graph showing the frequency response of an example RF filter for the 5G B41 band according to one or more states of this case. In Figure 2, curve 210 represents the frequency response of the BAW filter, curve 220 represents the frequency response of the IPD filter (e.g., LPF), and curve 230 represents the cascaded frequency response of both the BAW and IPD filters.

[0030] Figure 3 is a graph showing the frequency response of an example RF filter for the 5G n79 (between 4.4 and 5.0 GHz) band according to one or more of the present invention. In Figure 3, curve 310 represents the frequency response of the BAW filter, curve 320 represents the frequency response of the IPD filter (e.g., LPF), and curve 330 represents the cascaded frequency response of both the BAW and IPD filters.

[0031] The example RF filters in Figures 2 and 3 can include IPD filters that are vertically integrated with the acoustic filter (described in detail below). Note that the cascaded response illustrates the desired characteristics of the RF filter, including good in-band selectivity and good out-of-band rejection.

[0032] Figures 4A, 4B, and 4C illustrate examples of one or more types of RF filters according to this invention. Figure 4A illustrates a side view of the RF filter 400. As shown, the RF filter 400 may include an acoustic chip 410 and an IPD 430 vertically integrated with the acoustic chip 410. A passivation layer 420 may be present between the acoustic chip 410 and the IPD 430. It should be noted that terms or phrases such as "down," "up," "left," "right," "below," "above," "horizontal," and "vertical" are used for convenience. Unless otherwise explicitly indicated, such terms / phrases are not intended to indicate absolute orientation or direction.

[0033] Figure 4B illustrates a top view of an acoustic chip 410, which may include one or more acoustic filters 417. The acoustic filters 417 may be SAW or BAW filters. As shown, the acoustic chip 410 may include one or more resonators 412 and one or more acoustic chip pads 415. Some of the acoustic chip pads 415 may be electromechanically coupled to the resonators 412 to form the acoustic filters 417. Others of the acoustic chip pads 415 may be configured to be connected to a power / ground line.

[0034] Figure 4C illustrates a top view of IPD 430, which may include one or more inductors 432 and one or more capacitors 434. The capacitors 434 and inductors 434 may be configured to form one or more passive filters including IPD filter 435. IPD filter 435 may be an LPF, HPF, BPF, or BSF. As will be seen below, the acoustic filter and IPD filter 435 may be electrically coupled to each other such that the electrical signal is filtered by both the acoustic filter 417 and the IPD filter 435.

[0035] Figures 5A-5G illustrate example stages of manufacturing an RF filter according to one or more embodiments of this invention. Broadly speaking, the acoustic chip 410 can be manufactured first. Subsequently, an IPD process can be performed on the acoustic chip 410.

[0036] Figure 5A illustrates a stage in which a passivation layer 420 may be deposited on an acoustic wafer 410. Recall that the acoustic wafer 410 may include one or more acoustic filters 417 (e.g., SAW, BAW, etc.). For simplicity and ease of explanation, resonators constituting the acoustic filters 417 are not illustrated. Acoustic wafer pads 415 are illustrated.

[0037] It is also reminiscent that the IPD 430 may include one or more capacitors 434. However, for the sake of simplicity and ease of explanation, a single capacitor 434 will be illustrated in Figures 5A-5G.

[0038] Figure 5B illustrates a stage in which a passivation layer 420 can be patterned to form one or more passivation vias 507 at locations corresponding to acoustic wafer pads 415 of the acoustic wafer 410. The acoustic wafer pads 415 can be exposed by the passivation vias 507. Subsequently, a first conductive layer (e.g., a metallization layer, such as copper (Cu)) can be deposited on the passivation layer 420 and in the passivation vias 507 to form one or more first conductors 510. The formed one or more first conductors 510 may include a lower capacitor plate 512 of a capacitor 434. The lower capacitor plate 512 can be electrically coupled to the left-side acoustic wafer pad 415 (referred to as the first acoustic wafer pad 415 for convenience). For example, the lower capacitor plate 512 can contact the first acoustic wafer pad 415 via one of the passivation vias 507.

[0039] Figure 5C illustrates a stage in which a first insulating layer 515 can be deposited and patterned to form a capacitor insulator 518 on the lower capacitor plate 512. For example, a silicon nitride (SiN) layer can be deposited and patterned.

[0040] Figure 5D illustrates a stage in which a second conductive layer (e.g., a metallization layer) can be deposited and patterned to form one or more second conductors 520. The one or more second conductors 520 may include an upper capacitor plate 522 formed on a capacitor insulator 518. A lower capacitor plate 512, capacitor insulator 518, and upper capacitor plate 522 may form a capacitor 434. The capacitor 434 may be a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor. The capacitor 434 may be one of one or more capacitors formed from the one or more first conductors 510, one or more capacitor insulators 518, and one or more second conductors 520.

[0041] After the upper capacitor plate 522 is formed, a second insulating layer 525 (e.g., a polyimide layer) can be deposited and patterned on the passivation layer 420, the lower capacitor plate 512, and the upper capacitor plate 522. The second insulating layer 525 can be patterned to form one or more second insulating vias 527 to expose portions of the lower capacitor plate 512 and the upper capacitor plate 522.

[0042] Figure 5E illustrates a stage in which a third conductive layer (e.g., a metallization layer) can be deposited and patterned on the second insulating layer 525 and in the one or more second insulating vias 527 to form one or more third conductors 530 electrically coupled to the lower capacitor plate 512 and the upper capacitor plate 522. After the formation of the one or more third conductors 530, a third insulating layer 535 (e.g., a polyimide layer) can be deposited on any one or more of the passivation layer 420, the one or more first conductors 510 including the lower capacitor plate 512, the capacitor insulator 526, and the one or more third conductors 530, and patterned. The third insulating layer 535 can be patterned to form one or more third insulating vias 537 to expose the one or more third conductors 530.

[0043] Figure 5F illustrates a stage in which a fourth conductive layer (e.g., a metallization layer) can be deposited on the third insulating layer 535 and in the one or more third insulating vias 537 to form one or more fourth conductors 540 electrically coupled to the one or more third conductors 530. The one or more third conductors 530 and the one or more fourth conductors 540 can form one or more inductors 432 (not shown in Figure 5).

[0044] After the formation of the one or more fourth conductors 540, a fourth insulating layer 545 (e.g., a polyimide layer) may be deposited on the third insulating layer 535 and / or the one or more fourth conductors 540 and patterned thereon. The fourth insulating layer 545 may be patterned to form one or more fourth insulating vias 547 to expose the one or more fourth conductors 540.

[0045] Figure 5G illustrates the stage in which a bump under-metallization (UBM) layer 550 is deposited in the one or more fourth insulating vias 547. A seed layer 555 may be deposited prior to the deposition of the UBM 550. Subsequently, the one or more external contacts 450 may fill the one or more fourth insulating vias 547 and extend above the upper surface of the IPD 430. The one or more external contacts 450 may be formed on the fourth insulating layer 545 and in the one or more fourth insulating vias 547 to electrically couple with the one or more fourth conductors 540.

[0046] Figure 6 illustrates a flowchart of an example method 600 for manufacturing an RF filter (such as RF filter 100). In block 610, an acoustic chip 410 may be formed. The acoustic chip 410 may include an acoustic filter 417, which may be one or more acoustic filters of the acoustic chip 410. Each acoustic filter (including acoustic filter 417) may be a BAW filter or a SAW filter. Block 610 may correspond to Figure 5A.

[0047] In block 620, a passivation layer 420 can be deposited and patterned on the acoustic wafer 410. Doing so allows one or more passivation vias to be formed in the passivation layer 420, corresponding to the locations of one or more acoustic wafer pads 415. When manufacturing an RF filter, the passivation layer 420 can be located between the upper surface of the acoustic wafer 410 and the lower surface of the IPD 430. Block 610 can also correspond to FIG. 5A.

[0048] In block 630, the IPD 430 can be vertically integrated with the acoustic chip 410, which includes an acoustic filter 417. As will be further shown below, the IPD 430 may include one or more capacitors 434 and one or more inductors 432, which are configured to form one or more passive filters including an IPD filter 435. The IPD filter 435 may be an LPF, HPF, BPF, or BSF. The acoustic filter and the IPD filter 435 may be electrically coupled to each other such that electrical signals are filtered via both the acoustic filter 417 and the IPD filter 435. At least one capacitor 434 of the IPD filter 435 may be a MIM capacitor. Moreover, the acoustic chip 410 and the IPD 430 may have the same or substantially the same form factor.

[0049] In one embodiment, IPD 430 includes a plurality of conductive layers (e.g., first to fourth) and a plurality of insulating layers (e.g., first to insulating layers). The one or more capacitors 434 and the one or more inductors 432 may be formed from the plurality of conductive layers and the plurality of insulating layers. The first conductive layer may be formed on the passivation layer 420 and in the one or more passivation vias 507 to be electrically coupled to the one or more acoustic wafer pads 415. One or more of the plurality of conductive layers may be metallization layers (e.g., copper). Alternatively or additionally, one or more of the plurality of insulating layers may be polyimide layers.

[0050] Figure 7 illustrates a flowchart of an example procedure for implementing block 630. In block 710, a first conductive layer may be deposited and patterned to form one or more first conductors 510 on the passivation layer 420. The one or more first conductors 510 may include the lower capacitor plate 512 of the capacitor 434 of the IPD filter 435. The lower capacitor plate 512 may contact the first acoustic wafer pad 415 (the acoustic wafer pad on the left). Block 710 may correspond to Figure 5B.

[0051] In block 720, a first insulating layer 515 can be deposited and patterned to form a capacitor insulator 518 on the lower capacitor plate 512. The first insulating layer 515 can be a SiN layer. Block 720 can correspond to FIG. 5C.

[0052] In block 730, a second conductive layer may be deposited and patterned to form one or more second conductors 520. These one or more second conductors 520 may include an upper capacitor plate 522 on the capacitor insulator 518. Block 730 may correspond to FIG. 5D.

[0053] In block 740, a second insulating layer 525 can be deposited and patterned on the passivation layer 420, the lower capacitor plate 512, the capacitor insulator 518, and the upper capacitor plate 522. The second insulating layer 525 can be patterned to form one or more second insulating vias 527 to expose portions of the lower capacitor plate 512 and the upper capacitor plate 522. Block 740 can also correspond to FIG. 5D.

[0054] In block 750, a third conductive layer can be deposited and patterned on the second insulating layer 525 and in the one or more second insulating vias 527 to form one or more third conductors 530. The one or more third conductors 530 can be electrically coupled to the lower capacitor plate 512 and the upper capacitor plate 522. Block 750 can correspond to FIG5E.

[0055] In block 760, a third insulating layer 535 can be deposited and patterned on the second insulating layer 525 and on the one or more third conductors 530. The third insulating layer 535 can be patterned to form one or more third insulating vias 537 to expose portions of the one or more third conductors 530. Block 760 may also correspond to FIG5E.

[0056] In block 770, a fourth conductive layer may be deposited and patterned on the third insulating layer 535 and in the one or more third insulating vias 537 to form one or more fourth conductors 540. The one or more fourth conductors 540 may be electrically coupled to the one or more third conductors 530. Block 770 may correspond to FIG5F.

[0057] In block 780, a fourth insulating layer 545 can be deposited and patterned on the third insulating layer 535 and on the one or more fourth conductors 540. The fourth insulating layer 545 can be patterned to form one or more fourth insulating vias 547 to expose portions of the one or more fourth conductors 540. Block 780 may also correspond to FIG5F.

[0058] Referring back to Figure 6, one or more external contacts 450 may be formed in block 640 to extend above the upper surface of IPD 430. For example, one or more UBMs 550 may fill the one or more fourth insulating vias 547 and the one or more external contacts 450 may be formed on the UBMs 550. The one or more external contacts 450 may be formed on the fourth insulating layer 545 and in the one or more fourth insulating vias 547 to be electrically coupled to the one or more fourth conductors 540. Block 640 may also correspond to Figure 5G.

[0059] Note that the conductive layer of IPD 430 can be used as a redistribution layer (RDL). This means that the external contact 450 does not need to be vertically aligned with the wafer pad 415. For example, the center of the first external contact (the external contact 450 on the left) and the center of the first acoustic wafer pad 415 do not need to be aligned with each other. Moreover, the inductor 432 can be formed by at least one third conductor 530 and at least one fourth conductor 540.

[0060] It will be understood that the foregoing manufacturing processes and related discussions are provided only as general illustrations of some aspects of this invention and are not intended to limit this invention or the appended claims. Furthermore, many details of the manufacturing processes known to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains may be omitted or combined in the various summary procedure sections to facilitate understanding of the disclosed aspects without presenting every detail and / or all possible process variations in detail. In addition, it will be understood that the illustrated configurations and descriptions are provided merely to aid in illustrating the aspects disclosed herein. For example, the number and location of MIM capacitors and / or inductors, the metallization structure may have more or less conductive and insulating layers, the orientation and size of cavities, whether they are formed by multiple cavities, whether they are closed or open, and other aspects may have variations driven by specific application design features (such as the number of antennas, antenna type, frequency range, power, etc.). Accordingly, the foregoing illustrative examples and associated drawings should not be construed as limiting the aspects disclosed and claimed herein.

[0061] Figure 8 illustrates various electronic devices that can be integrated with any of the aforementioned glass-based antenna devices according to various forms of this invention. For example, mobile phone device 802, laptop device 804, and fixed-location terminal device 806 can each be generally considered as user equipment (UE) and may include RF filters as described herein. Devices 802, 804, and 806 illustrated in Figure 8 are merely exemplary. Other electronic devices may also include RF filters, including but not limited to a group of devices (e.g., electronic devices) comprising: mobile devices, handheld personal communication system (PCS) units, portable data units (such as personal digital assistants), GPS-enabled devices, navigation devices, set-top boxes, music players, video players, entertainment units, fixed-location data units (such as meter reading devices), communication devices, smartphones, tablets, computers, wearable devices, servers, routers, electronic devices implemented in motor vehicles (e.g., autonomous vehicles), Internet of Things (IoT) devices, or any other device that stores or retrieves data or computer instructions, or any combination thereof.

[0062] The devices and functionalities disclosed above can be designed and configured in computer files (e.g., RTL, GDSII, GERBER, etc.) stored on a computer-readable medium. Some or all of these files can be provided to a manufacturing processor that manufactures devices based on such files. The resulting product may include semiconductor wafers, which are then diced into semiconductor dies and packaged into glass-based antenna devices. These glass-based antenna devices can then be used in the devices described herein.

[0063] Each implementation instance is described in the following numbered clauses:

[0064] Clause 1: A radio frequency (RF) filter comprising: an acoustic chip including an acoustic filter, the acoustic filter being one or more acoustic filters of the acoustic chip; and an integrated passive device (IPD) vertically integrated with the acoustic filter, the IPD including one or more capacitors and one or more inductors configured to form one or more passive filters including the IPD filter, the IPD filter being any one of a low-pass filter (LPF), a high-pass filter (HPF), a band-pass filter (BPF), or a band-stop filter (BSF), wherein the acoustic filter and the IPD filter are electrically coupled to each other such that an electrical signal is filtered by both the acoustic filter and the IPD filter.

[0065] Clause 2: RF filters as described in Clause 1, wherein at least one capacitor is a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor.

[0066] Clause 3: RF filters as described in any of Clauses 1-2, wherein the acoustic chip and the IPD have substantially the same shape factor.

[0067] Clause 4: RF filter as in any of Clauses 1-3, wherein the acoustic filter is a bulk acoustic (BAW) filter.

[0068] Clause 5: An RF filter as described in any of Clauses 1-3, wherein the acoustic filter is a surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter.

[0069] Clause 6: An RF filter as described in any of Clauses 1-5, wherein the acoustic wafer includes one or more acoustic wafer pads formed within the acoustic wafer, the one or more acoustic wafer pads being electromechanically coupled to one or more resonators of the acoustic filter, and wherein the one or more acoustic wafer pads include a first acoustic wafer pad, and the acoustic filter and the IPD filter are electrically coupled to each other via the first acoustic wafer pad.

[0070] Clause 7: The RF filter as described in Clause 6 further includes: one or more external contacts extending above the upper surface of the IPD, the one or more external contacts including a first external contact electrically coupled to a first acoustic chip pad via the IPD filter.

[0071] Clause 8: RF filters as in Clause 7, wherein the center of the first external contact and the center of the first acoustic chip pad are not aligned with each other.

[0072] Clause 9: The RF filter of any of Clauses 7-8 further includes: a passivation layer between the upper surface of the acoustic wafer and the lower surface of the IPD.

[0073] Clause 10: An RF filter as described in Clause 9, wherein one or more passivation vias are formed in a passivation layer corresponding to the locations of the one or more acoustic wafer pads, wherein the IPD includes a plurality of conductive layers and a plurality of insulating layers, the one or more capacitors and the one or more inductors of the IPD filter are formed by the plurality of conductive layers and the plurality of insulating layers, and wherein the plurality of conductive layers include a first conductive layer formed on the passivation layer and in the one or more passivation vias for electrical coupling to the one or more acoustic wafer pads.

[0074] Clause 11: An RF filter as described in Clause 10, wherein one or more of the plurality of conductive layers are metallization layers, or wherein one or more of the plurality of insulating layers are polyimide layers, or both.

[0075] Clause 12: An RF filter as described in any of Clauses 10-11, wherein the plurality of conductive layers further comprises a second conductive layer, a third conductive layer, and a fourth conductive layer, wherein the plurality of insulating layers comprises a first insulating layer, a second insulating layer, a third insulating layer, and a fourth insulating layer, wherein the first conductive layer is deposited and patterned to form one or more first conductors including at least one capacitor on a lower capacitor plate on a passivation layer, wherein the first insulating layer is deposited and patterned to form a capacitor insulator on the lower capacitor plate, wherein the second conductive layer is deposited and patterned to form one or more second conductors including an upper capacitor plate on the capacitor insulator, wherein the second insulating layer is deposited and patterned on the passivation layer, the lower capacitor plate, and the upper capacitor plate, and the second insulating layer is also patterned to form one or more second insulating vias to expose portions of the lower capacitor plate and the upper capacitor plate, wherein the third conductive layer is deposited and patterned on the second insulating layer. A third insulating layer is deposited and patterned on the second insulating layer and in the one or more second insulating vias to form one or more third conductors electrically coupled to the lower capacitor plate and the upper capacitor plate. A third insulating layer is deposited and patterned on the second insulating layer and the one or more third conductors, and is also patterned to form one or more third insulating vias to expose portions of the one or more third conductors. A fourth conductive layer is deposited and patterned on the third insulating layer and in the one or more third insulating vias to form one or more fourth conductors electrically coupled to the one or more third conductors. A fourth insulating layer is deposited and patterned on the third insulating layer and the one or more fourth conductors, and is also patterned to form one or more fourth insulating vias to expose portions of the one or more fourth conductors. One or more external contacts are formed on the fourth insulating layer and in the one or more fourth insulating vias to be electrically coupled to the one or more fourth conductors.

[0076] Clause 13: RF filter as in Clause 12, wherein the lower capacitor plate contacts the first acoustic chip pad.

[0077] Clause 14: RF filters as described in any of Clauses 12-13, wherein the capacitor insulator is formed of silicon nitride.

[0078] Clause 15: An RF filter as described in any of Clauses 12-14, wherein the inductor is formed by at least one third conductor and at least one fourth conductor.

[0079] Clause 16: An RF filter as described in any of Clauses 1-15, wherein the RF filter is incorporated into a device selected from the group consisting of: music players, video players, entertainment units, navigation devices, communication devices, mobile devices, mobile phones, smartphones, personal digital assistants, fixed-location terminals, tablet computers, computers, wearable devices, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, laptops, servers, and devices in motor vehicles.

[0080] Clause 17: A method of manufacturing a radio frequency (RF) filter, comprising: forming an acoustic chip including an acoustic filter, the acoustic filter being one or more acoustic filters of the acoustic chip; and vertically integrating an integrated passive device (IPD) with the acoustic filter, the IPD including one or more capacitors and one or more inductors configured to form one or more passive filters including an IPD filter, the IPD filter being any one of a low-pass filter (LPF), a high-pass filter (HPF), a band-pass filter (BPF), or a band-stop filter (BSF), wherein the acoustic chip and the IPD filter are electrically coupled to each other such that an electrical signal is filtered by both the acoustic chip and the IPD filter.

[0081] Clause 18: The method of Clause 17, wherein at least one capacitor is a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor.

[0082] Clause 19: The method of any of Clauses 17-18, wherein the acoustic chip and the IPD have substantially the same shape factor.

[0083] Clause 20: The method of any of Clauses 17-19, wherein the acoustic filter is a bulk acoustic (BAW) filter.

[0084] Clause 21: The method of any of Clauses 17-19, wherein the acoustic filter is a surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter.

[0085] Clause 22: The method of any of Clauses 17-21, wherein the acoustic wafer includes one or more acoustic wafer pads formed within the acoustic wafer, the one or more acoustic wafer pads being electromechanically coupled to one or more resonators of the acoustic filter, and wherein the one or more acoustic wafer pads include a first acoustic wafer pad, and the acoustic filter and the IPD filter are electrically coupled to each other via the first acoustic wafer pad.

[0086] Clause 23: The method of Clause 22 further includes: forming one or more external contacts extending above the upper surface of the IPD, the one or more external contacts including a first external contact electrically coupled to a first acoustic chip pad via an IPD filter.

[0087] Clause 24: The method of Clause 23, wherein the center of the first external contact and the center of the first acoustic chip pad are not aligned with each other.

[0088] Clause 25: The method of any of Clauses 23-24 further includes: depositing and patterning a passivation layer between the upper surface of the acoustic wafer and the lower surface of the IPD.

[0089] Clause 26: The method of Clause 25, wherein one or more passivation vias corresponding to the locations of the one or more acoustic wafer pads are formed in the passivation layer, wherein the IPD includes a plurality of conductive layers and a plurality of insulating layers, the one or more capacitors and the one or more inductors of the IPD filter are formed by the plurality of conductive layers and the plurality of insulating layers, and wherein the plurality of conductive layers includes a first conductive layer formed on the passivation layer and in the one or more passivation vias for electrical coupling to the one or more acoustic wafer pads.

[0090] Clause 27: The method of Clause 26, wherein one or more of the plurality of conductive layers are metallization layers, or wherein one or more of the plurality of insulating layers are polyimide layers, or both.

[0091] Clause 28: The method of any one of Clauses 26-27, wherein the plurality of conductive layers further comprises a second conductive layer, a third conductive layer, and a fourth conductive layer, wherein the plurality of insulating layers comprises a first insulating layer, a second insulating layer, a third insulating layer, and a fourth insulating layer, wherein vertically integrating the IPD with the acoustic filter comprises: depositing and patterning a first conductive layer to form one or more first conductors including at least one capacitor on a lower capacitor plate on a passivation layer; depositing and patterning a first insulating layer to form a capacitor insulator on the lower capacitor plate; depositing and patterning a second conductive layer to form one or more second conductors including an upper capacitor plate on the capacitor insulator; depositing and patterning a second insulating layer on the passivation layer, the lower capacitor plate, and the upper capacitor plate, the second insulating layer also being patterned to form one or more second insulating vias to expose portions of the lower capacitor plate and the upper capacitor plate; depositing and patterning a second insulating layer on the passivation layer, the lower capacitor plate, and the upper capacitor plate, the second insulating layer also being patterned to form one or more second insulating vias to expose portions of the lower capacitor plate and the upper capacitor plate; and depositing and patterning a second insulating layer on the passivation layer, the lower capacitor plate, and the upper capacitor plate, the second insulating layer ... via on the lower capacitor plate, the lower capacitor plate, and the upper capacitor plate; and depositing and patterning a second insulating via on the lower capacitor plate, the lower capacitor plate, and the upper capacitor plate; and depositing and patterning a first conductive layer to form one or more first conductive layer, the lower capacitor plate, and the upper capacitor plate; and depositing and patterning a first conductive layer to form one or more first conductive layer, the lower capacitor plate, A third conductive layer is deposited and patterned on the insulating layer and in the one or more second insulating vias to form one or more third conductors electrically coupled to the lower capacitor plate and the upper capacitor plate; a third insulating layer is deposited and patterned on the second insulating layer and the one or more third conductors, and the third insulating layer is also patterned to form one or more third insulating vias to expose portions of the one or more third conductors; a fourth conductive layer is deposited and patterned on the third insulating layer and in the one or more third insulating vias to form one or more fourth conductors electrically coupled to the one or more third conductors; and a fourth insulating layer is deposited and patterned on the third insulating layer and the one or more fourth conductors, and the fourth insulating layer is also patterned to form one or more fourth insulating vias to expose portions of the one or more fourth conductors; and wherein one or more external contacts are formed on the fourth insulating layer and in the one or more fourth insulating vias to be electrically coupled to the one or more fourth conductors.

[0092] Clause 29: The method of Clause 28, wherein the lower capacitor plate contacts the first acoustic chip pad.

[0093] Clause 30: The method of any of Clauses 28-29, wherein the capacitor insulator is formed of silicon nitride.

[0094] Clause 31: The method of any of Clauses 28-30, wherein the inductor is formed of at least one third conductor and at least one fourth conductor.

[0095] As used herein, the terms “user equipment” (or “UE”), “user device”, “user terminal”, “client device”, “communication device”, “wireless device”, “wireless communication device”, “handheld device”, “mobile device”, “mobile terminal”, “mobile station”, “handheld device”, “access terminal”, “user equipment”, “user terminal”, “user station”, “terminal”, and variations thereof can be used interchangeably to represent any suitable mobile or stationary device capable of receiving wireless communication and / or navigation signals. These terms include, but are not limited to, music players, video players, entertainment units, navigation devices, communication devices, smartphones, personal digital assistants, fixed-location terminals, tablet computers, computers, wearable devices, laptops, servers, in-vehicle equipment in motor vehicles, and / or other types of portable electronic devices that are typically carried by an individual and / or have communication capabilities (e.g., wireless, cellular, infrared, short-range radio, etc.). These terms are also intended to include devices that communicate with another device capable of receiving wireless communication and / or navigation signals (such as via short-range wireless, infrared, wired connections, or other connections), regardless of whether satellite signal reception, auxiliary data reception, and / or positioning-related processing occur on that device or on that other device. Furthermore, these terms are intended to include all devices, including wireless and wired communication devices capable of communicating with the core network via a radio access network (RAN), and via the core network, the UE can connect to external networks (such as the Internet) and other UEs. Of course, other mechanisms for connecting to the core network and / or the Internet are also possible for the UE, such as on wired access networks, wireless local area networks (WLANs) (e.g., based on IEEE 802.11), etc. The UE can implement this via any of several types of devices, including but not limited to printed circuit (PC) cards, CF memory devices, external or internal modems, wireless or wired telephones, smartphones, tablets, tracking devices, asset tags, etc. The communication link through which the UE can send signals to the RAN is called an uplink channel (e.g., reverse traffic channel, reverse control channel, access channel, etc.). The communication link through which the RAN can send signals to the UE is called a downlink or forward link channel (e.g., paging channel, control channel, broadcast channel, forward traffic channel, etc.). As used herein, the term traffic channel (TCH) can refer to an uplink / reverse traffic channel or a downlink / forward traffic channel.

[0096] Wireless communication between electronic devices can be based on various technologies, such as Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), W-CDMA, Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE), 5G New Radio, Bluetooth (BT), Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), IEEE 802.11 (WiFi) and IEEE 802.15.4 (Zigbee / Thread), or other protocols that can be used in wireless communication networks or data communication networks. Bluetooth Low Energy (also known as Bluetooth LE, BLE, and Bluetooth Smart) is a wireless personal area network technology designed and marketed by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SOTUS) to provide significantly reduced power consumption and cost while maintaining similar communication range. BLE was incorporated into the major Bluetooth standard in 2010, using Bluetooth Core Specification version 4.0 and updated in Bluetooth 5.

[0097] The term "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an example, illustration, or representation." Any detail described herein as "exemplary" is not to be construed as superior to other instances. Similarly, the term "example" does not imply that all instances include the features, advantages, or modes of operation discussed. Furthermore, a particular feature and / or structure may be combined with one or more other features and / or structures. Additionally, at least a portion of the apparatus described herein may be configured to perform at least a portion of the methods described herein.

[0098] It should be noted that the terms “connection,” “coupling,” or any variation thereof mean any direct or indirect connection or coupling between elements, and may cover the presence of an intermediate element between two elements through which the two elements are “connected” or “coupled” together, unless the connection is explicitly disclosed as a direct connection.

[0099] The use of designations such as "first," "second," etc., to refer to elements in this document does not limit the number and / or order of those elements. Rather, these designations are used as a convenient way to distinguish between two or more elements and / or instances of elements. Similarly, unless otherwise stated, a collection of elements may include one or more elements.

[0100] As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains, information and signals can be represented using any of a variety of different techniques and skills. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chips that may be referred to throughout the foregoing description can be represented by voltage, current, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or magnetic particles, light fields or light particles, or any combination thereof.

[0101] Nothing described or illustrated in this case is intended to designate any part, action, feature, benefit, advantage, or equivalent to be offered to the public, whether or not such part, action, feature, benefit, advantage, or equivalent is described in the claim.

[0102] In the detailed description above, it can be seen that different features are grouped together in the examples. This manner of disclosure should not be construed as reflecting an intention that the claimed example has more features than those explicitly mentioned in the corresponding claim. Rather, the case may include all features less than those of the individual examples disclosed. Therefore, the appended claims should thus be considered as being incorporated into this description, where each claim may be a separate instance. Although each claim may be a separate instance, it should be noted that while dependent claims in the claims may refer to a specific combination with one or more claims, other instances may also cover or include combinations of the subject matter of that dependent claim with any other dependent claim or any feature with other dependent and independent claims. Such combinations are presented herein unless it is explicitly stated that no particular combination is intended. Furthermore, it is also intended that features of a claim may be included in any other independent claim, even if the claim is not directly subordinate to that independent claim.

[0103] It should also be noted that the methods, systems, and apparatuses disclosed in this description or claim may be implemented by devices including means for performing corresponding actions and / or functions of the disclosed methods.

[0104] Furthermore, in some instances, an individual action may be subdivided into one or more sub-actions, or may contain one or more sub-actions. Such sub-actions may be included in the disclosure of the individual action or may be part of the disclosure of the individual action.

[0105] Although the foregoing illustrations provide illustrative examples of this case, it should be noted that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of this case as defined in the appended claims. The functions and / or actions in the method claims of the various examples of this case described herein need not necessarily be performed in any particular order. Furthermore, well-known elements will not be described in detail or may be omitted to avoid obscuring the relevant details of the various forms and examples disclosed herein. Moreover, although elements of this case may be described or claimed in the singular, the plural is also contemplated unless explicitly stated to be limited to the singular.

[0106] 110: Curve 120: Curve 210: Curve 220: Curve 230: Curve 310: Curve 320: Curve 330: Curve 400: RF Filter 410: Acoustic chip 412: Resonator 415: Acoustic chip pads 417: Acoustic Wave Filter 420: Passivation layer 430:IPD 432: Inductor 434: Capacitor 435: IPD Filter 450: External contact 507: Passivated via 510: First conductor 512: Lower capacitor plate 515: First insulating layer 518: Capacitor Insulator 520: Second conductor 522: Upper capacitor plate 525: Second insulating layer 527: Second insulating through hole 530: Third Conductor 535: Third Insulation Layer 537: Third insulating through hole 540: Fourth Conductor 545: Fourth Insulation Layer 547: Fourth Insulating Through Hole 550: Under-bump metallization (UBM) 555: Seed layer 600: Method 610: Square 620: Square 630: Square 710: Square 720: Square 730: Square 740: Square 750: Square 760: Square 770: Square 780: Square 800: Equipment 802: Equipment 804: Equipment 806: Equipment

[0107] Domestic storage information (please note in order of storage institution, date, and number) none Overseas storage information (please note in the order of storage country, institution, date, and number) none

Claims

1. A radio frequency (RF) filter, comprising: An acoustic chip including an acoustic filter, the acoustic filter being one of one or more acoustic filters on the acoustic chip; and an integrated passive device (IPD) vertically integrated with the acoustic filter, the IPD including one or more capacitors and one or more inductors configured to form one or more passive filters including an IPD filter, the IPD filter being any one of a low-pass filter (LPF), a high-pass filter (HPF), a band-pass filter (BPF), or a band-stop filter (BSF), wherein the acoustic filter and the IPD filter are electrically coupled to each other such that an electrical signal is filtered by both the acoustic filter and the IPD filter. The acoustic chip includes one or more acoustic chip pads formed within the acoustic chip, the one or more acoustic chip pads being electromechanically coupled to one or more resonators of the acoustic filter, and wherein the one or more acoustic chip pads include a first acoustic chip pad, the acoustic filter and the IPD filter being electrically coupled to each other via the first acoustic chip pad.

2. The RF filter of claim 1, wherein at least one capacitor is a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor.

3. The RF filter as requested in item 1, wherein the acoustic chip and the IPD have substantially the same shape factor.

4. The RF filter as requested in item 1, wherein the acoustic filter is a BAW (Built-in-Wave) filter.

5. The RF filter as requested in claim 1, wherein the acoustic filter is a surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter.

6. The RF filter as described in claim 1, further comprising: One or more external contacts extending above an upper surface of the IPD, the one or more external contacts including a first external contact electrically coupled to the first acoustic chip pad via the IPD filter.

7. The RF filter of claim 6, wherein the center of the first external contact and the center of the first acoustic chip pad are not aligned with each other.

8. The RF filter as described in claim 6, further comprising: A passivation layer between an upper surface of the acoustic wafer and a lower surface of the IPD.

9. The RF filter of claim 8, wherein one or more passivation vias are formed in the passivation layer corresponding to the positions of the one or more acoustic wafer pads, wherein the IPD includes a plurality of conductive layers and a plurality of insulating layers, the one or more capacitors and the one or more inductors of the IPD filter are formed by the plurality of conductive layers and the plurality of insulating layers, and wherein the plurality of conductive layers includes a first conductive layer formed on the passivation layer and in the one or more passivation vias for electrical coupling with the one or more acoustic wafer pads.

10. The RF filter of claim 9, wherein one or more of the plurality of conductive layers are metallization layers, or wherein one or more of the plurality of insulating layers are polyimide layers, or both.

11. The RF filter of claim 9, wherein the plurality of conductive layers further comprises a second conductive layer, a third conductive layer, and a fourth conductive layer, wherein the plurality of insulating layers comprises a first insulating layer, a second insulating layer, a third insulating layer, and a fourth insulating layer, wherein the first conductive layer is deposited and patterned to form one or more first conductors on the passivation layer, including at least one capacitor, of a lower capacitor plate, wherein the first insulating layer is deposited and patterned to form a capacitor insulator on the lower capacitor plate, wherein the second conductive layer is deposited and patterned to form one or more second conductors on the capacitor insulator, including an upper capacitor plate, wherein the second insulating layer is deposited and patterned on the passivation layer, the lower capacitor plate, and the upper capacitor plate, and the second insulating layer is also patterned to form one or more second insulating vias to expose portions of the lower capacitor plate and the upper capacitor plate, wherein the third conductive layer is deposited and patterned on the second insulating layer and in the one or more second insulating vias to form one or more third conductors electrically coupled to the lower capacitor plate and the upper capacitor plate. The third insulating layer is deposited and patterned on the second insulating layer and the one or more third conductors, and the third insulating layer is also patterned to form one or more third insulating vias to expose portions of the one or more third conductors. The fourth conductive layer is deposited and patterned on the third insulating layer and in the one or more third insulating vias to form one or more fourth conductors electrically coupled to the one or more third conductors. The fourth insulating layer is deposited and patterned on the third insulating layer and the one or more fourth conductors, and the fourth insulating layer is also patterned to form one or more fourth insulating vias to expose portions of the one or more fourth conductors. The one or more external contacts are formed on the fourth insulating layer and in the one or more fourth insulating vias to be electrically coupled to the one or more fourth conductors.

12. The RF filter of claim 11, wherein the lower capacitor plate is in contact with the first acoustic chip pad.

13. The RF filter of claim 11, wherein the capacitor insulator is formed of silicon nitride.

14. The RF filter of claim 11, wherein at least one inductor is formed by at least one third conductor and at least one fourth conductor.

15. The RF filter of claim 1, wherein the RF filter is incorporated into a device selected from the group consisting of: a music player, a video player, an entertainment unit, a navigation device, a communication device, a mobile device, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a digital assistant, a fixed-location terminal, a tablet computer, a computer, a wearable device, an Internet of Things (IoT) device, a laptop computer, a server, and a device in a motor vehicle.

16. A method of manufacturing a radio frequency (RF) filter, the method comprising the steps of: forming an acoustic chip including an acoustic filter, the acoustic filter being one of one or more acoustic filters of the acoustic chip; and vertically integrating an integrated passive device (IPD) with the acoustic filter, the IPD including one or more capacitors and one or more inductors, the one or more capacitors and the one or more inductors being configured to form one or more passive filters including an IPD filter, the IPD filter being any one of a low-pass filter (LPF), a high-pass filter (HPF), a band-pass filter (BPF), or a band-stop filter (BSF), wherein the acoustic chip and the IPD filter are electrically coupled to each other such that an electrical signal is filtered via both the acoustic chip and the IPD filter. The acoustic chip includes one or more acoustic chip pads formed within the acoustic chip, the one or more acoustic chip pads being electromechanically coupled to one or more resonators of the acoustic filter, and wherein the one or more acoustic chip pads include a first acoustic chip pad, the acoustic filter and the IPD filter being electrically coupled to each other via the first acoustic chip pad.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one capacitor is a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the acoustic chip and the IPD have substantially the same shape factor.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the acoustic filter is a BAW (Body-Integrated Acoustic) filter.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the acoustic filter is a surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter.

21. The method of claim 16 further includes the step of: forming one or more external contacts extending above an upper surface of the IPD, the one or more external contacts including a first external contact electrically coupled to the first acoustic chip pad via the IPD filter.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein a center of the first external contact and a center of the first acoustic chip pad are not aligned with each other.

23. The method of claim 21 further includes the step of: depositing and patterning a passivation layer between an upper surface of the acoustic wafer and a lower surface of the IPD.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein one or more passivation vias corresponding to the positions of the one or more acoustic wafer pads are formed in the passivation layer, wherein the IPD includes a plurality of conductive layers and a plurality of insulating layers, the one or more capacitors and the one or more inductors of the IPD filter are formed by the plurality of conductive layers and the plurality of insulating layers, and wherein the plurality of conductive layers includes a first conductive layer formed on the passivation layer and in the one or more passivation vias for electrical coupling with the one or more acoustic wafer pads.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein one or more of the plurality of conductive layers are metallization layers, or wherein one or more of the plurality of insulating layers are polyimide layers, or both.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the plurality of conductive layers further comprises a second conductive layer, a third conductive layer, and a fourth conductive layer, wherein the plurality of insulating layers comprises a first insulating layer, a second insulating layer, a third insulating layer, and a fourth insulating layer, wherein vertical integration of the IPD with the acoustic filter comprises the following steps: depositing and patterning the first conductive layer to form one or more first conductors including at least one capacitor on a lower capacitor plate in the passivation layer; depositing and patterning the first insulating layer to form a capacitor insulator on the lower capacitor plate; depositing and patterning the second conductive layer to form one or more second conductors including an upper capacitor plate in the capacitor insulator; depositing and patterning the second insulating layer on the passivation layer, the lower capacitor plate, and the upper capacitor plate, the second insulating layer also being patterned to form one or more second insulating vias to expose portions of the lower capacitor plate and the upper capacitor plate; The third conductive layer is deposited and patterned on the second insulating layer and in the one or more second insulating vias to form one or more third conductors electrically coupled to the lower capacitor plate and the upper capacitor plate; the third insulating layer is deposited and patterned on the second insulating layer and the one or more third conductors, and the third insulating layer is also patterned to form one or more third insulating vias to expose portions of the one or more third conductors; the fourth conductive layer is deposited and patterned on the third insulating layer and in the one or more third insulating vias to form one or more fourth conductors electrically coupled to the one or more third conductors; and the fourth insulating layer is deposited and patterned on the third insulating layer and the one or more fourth conductors, and the fourth insulating layer is also patterned to form one or more fourth insulating vias to expose portions of the one or more fourth conductors; and wherein one or more external contacts are formed on the fourth insulating layer and in the one or more fourth insulating vias to be electrically coupled to the one or more fourth conductors.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the lower capacitor plate is in contact with the first acoustic chip pad.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein at least one inductor is formed of at least one third conductor and at least one fourth conductor.

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