Method of fabricating radio frequency microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices on low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) substrates

Abstract

A phased-array antenna system and other types of radio frequency (RF) devices and systems using microelectromechanical switches (“MEMS”) and low-temperature co-fired ceramic (“LTCC”) technology and a method of fabricating such phased-array antenna system and other types of radio frequency (RF) devices are disclosed. Each antenna or other type of device includes at least two multilayer ceramic modules and a MEMS device fabricated on one of the modules. Once fabrication of the MEMS device is completed, the two ceramic modules are bonded together, hermetically sealing the MEMS device, as well as allowing electrical connections between all device layers. The bottom ceramic module has also cavities at the backside for mounting integrated circuits. The internal layers are formed using conducting, resistive and high-k dielectric pastes available in standard LTCC fabrication and low-loss dielectric LTCC tape materials.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to Radio Frequency (RF) Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) and devices that are fabricated on or within Low-Temperature Co-Fired Ceramic (“LTCC”) substrates. The present invention also relates to a method of fabricating, integrating and packaging such MEMS RF devices and systems using MEMS and LTCC technologies. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have been shown to be useful for a variety of consumer, industrial and military applications. Most MEMS devices are fabricated on semiconductor substrates (e.g., silicon, Gallium Arsenide, Silicon-On-Insulator, etc.) using standard Integrated Circuit (IC) processes in combination with specialized micromachining processes. Collectively these manufacturing technologies are frequently called microfabrication processes. [0003] Conventional MEMS processes which are performed on silicon or other semiconductor substrates can lower the cost of pro...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention provides a method for fabricating integrated MEMS RF devices, RF switches, phase-shifters, and variable capacitors on low-cost LTCC substrates. The invention also provides a phased-array antenna system that can be tiled together with other antenna modules to form a high-gain phased-array antenna system. The invention also provides a cost-effective way to package and integrate these components into LTCC modules for applications such as array antennas. The invention also includes a method for efficiently fabricating and packaging discrete MEMS components onto LTCC substrates. The technical effects of the invention include reduced manufacturing costs, improved performance, and reduced weight and size of phased-array antennas."

Problems solved by technology

Although both approaches can potentially lower cost somewhat, the reduction is not sufficient for many applications.

Even if a sufficiently low cost process for the fabrication a MEMS device can be achieved, the manufacturing of MEMS devices can incur significant additional costs associated with packaging and integration, resulting in an expensive overall system or product cost.

The fabrication of MEMS devices directly on or within integrated circuits (“integrated MEMS”) requires expensive process development as well as some compromises in device performance.

Both approaches are also limited by total processing area, and the resultant gains from these approaches are modest at best.

Consequently, one of the key limitations of MEMS technology has been the cost of manufacturing MEMS devices and systems using semiconductor substrates and microfabrication process technologies.

Another limitation relates to the high cost associated with packaging these devices and systems.

Yet another limitation relates to the cost and difficulty of realizing systems wherein MEMS and microelectronics are combined into modules or integrated together to form functional systems.

While this approach works for the demonstration of a device, it has several severe disadvantages for the performance and potential commercialization of RF and microwave devices.

First, the dielectric losses of the silicon substrate are very high at frequencies above 1 GHz.

Second, the cost of silicon substrates and processes used to fabricate MEMS RF devices on these substrates are too high compared to existing technologies.

Third, the packaging costs of silicon and other semiconductor material based MEMS devices are very high, particularly for devices that must operate at high frequencies and under extreme environmental conditions.

While the losses of the silicon substrate can be reduced appreciably by selectively removing the silicon from under the active devices and the associated signal paths using an isotropic etchant, such as Xenon Diflouride (XeF2), this is an expensive process and one that is not readily compatible with the fabrication of active MEMS devices.

Consequently, the resultant manufacturing yield will be low and the cost will increase appreciably.

However, the cost of these materials and the costs to fabricate devices on these materials are typically two orders of magnitude higher than even silicon wafers and processes.

Consequently, the resultant device or system cost will be far too high for many consumer or industrial applications.

Packaging techniques that can meet the required specifications and simultaneously provide a sufficiently low cost have not been readily available in the past.

If the cost and performance goals can be met, the potential market sizes for these devices will be enormous.

However, these devices have been limited due to the extremely high cost of fabricating and packaging the MEMS switches on Gallium-Arsenide substrates.

Typically, even at high volume production, GaAs-based active phase-shifters can cost more than 100 times to fabricate and are more than twice as lossy as MEMS phase-shifters.

As a result, phase-shifters are the main cost driver in phased-array antennas.

This is attributed to the high fabrication cost for such devices and the additional cost associated with the amplification and thermal management required by their high losses at their operational frequencies.

Consequently, due to the high cost, active electronic GaAs-based phase-shifters have been limited to use in military array antennas.

The cost to attempt to integrate different types of MEMS RF devices together or with microelectronics is enormous.

With respect to packaging, it is frequently the case that the cost of packaging MEMS devices is more than the cost of the MEMS device itself.

Images