Improved antenna module

Abstract

Disclosed is an improved antenna module. The improved antenna module according to the present invention comprises: an antenna substrate comprising antennas; a package substrate coupled to radio frequency integrated circuit chips and comprising signal transmission lines for transmitting signals of respective radio frequency integrated circuit chips; and an interconnection member that is positioned between the antenna substrate and the package substrate to connect same, and has slots formed therein, each arranged to correspond to at least a portion of a passage through which radio frequency signals transmitted between the signal transmission lines and respective antennas pass through the package substrate.

Description

Improved antenna module

[0001] The present invention relates to an improved antenna module, and more specifically, to an improved antenna module that improves wireless communication performance by connecting an antenna substrate and a package substrate with an interconnection member having a three-dimensional structure in which a slot is formed.

[0002] Wireless communication data traffic is increasing dramatically, and electronic devices related to wireless communication are becoming more high-performance. As the development of related technologies—such as autonomous driving, VR / AR, IoT, telemedicine, and ultra-high-resolution video transmission—which require the rapid exchange of large amounts of data over wireless networks is accelerating, there is a demand for 5G and millimeter wave band components and related technologies to support this.

[0003] To increase the data transmission capacity of wireless communication, the operating frequency and bandwidth of wireless communication components applied to wireless transceiver systems must be increased. Furthermore, as the operating frequency band increases in wireless transceiver systems, an increase in the number of antennas is required to boost the power of the transmitted and received signals and improve the signal-to-noise ratio.

[0004] Therefore, in 5G wireless transceiver systems, especially in the millimeter wave band, antennas are essentially arranged in an array form consisting of a large number of antennas, and antenna modules are configured to perform beamforming functions to control the beam.

[0005] An antenna module or system that performs the function of forming and controlling an electromagnetic beam typically consists of numerous antenna elements, various integrated circuit chips, their interconnects, and control lines. Such an antenna module additionally includes multilayer antenna elements, their radio frequency signal transmission structures, radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) chips that perform functions such as beamforming, intermediate frequency distribution circuits, local oscillators, and various circuits such as related control circuits and bias circuits.

[0006] Such antenna modules or systems are essential components of wireless communication systems and require characteristics such as high output power, low signal loss degradation, performance of functions such as beamforming, high reception sensitivity, low cost, easy compatibility, and expansion.

[0007] Meanwhile, in ultra-high frequency bands such as 12-18 GHz, 24 GHz, 28 GHz, 39 GHz, and 60 GHz, radio frequency (RF) signals are easily absorbed and lost during the signal transmission process, so the quality of wireless communication can rapidly deteriorate.

[0008] Therefore, in the case of antenna modules in the ultra-high frequency band, technologies such as securing antenna gain, minimizing connection loss between the antenna and RFIC, minimizing signal interference caused by complex signal line arrangement, and securing spacing between antenna arrays (usually 0.5 times the signal wavelength) must be developed.

[0009] To realize these characteristics, antenna modules in ultra-high frequency bands such as millimeter waves are configured with multiple array-type antenna arrays to increase output and perform beamforming functions, along with integrated circuit chips to implement them.

[0010] Meanwhile, as the frequency used in wireless communication systems increases, the size of the antenna and the width of the transmission line in the corresponding band decrease, and the integration density of the circuits required to implement this increases.

[0011] To form an antenna module by connecting a millimeter-wave band antenna array to integrated circuit chips, the antenna array and the integrated circuit chips can be located on the top layer of their substrate. However, with this method, as the number of antenna elements increases, the number of routings required to connect each antenna to the integrated circuit chips also increases. Consequently, it is very difficult to effectively configure the antenna array and arrange it to properly perform functions such as beamforming.

[0012] To solve this, according to the existing Korean registered patent 1581225, a dual-sided package is used in which antenna elements are formed on the top layer of the substrate, and integrated circuit chips and BGAs for their connection are placed on opposite sides of the substrate. In this case, a method is used in which integrated circuit chips for additional control and power supply, in addition to radio frequency integrated circuit chips that are generally routed directly to the antenna, are connected to another package substrate through ball grid arrays (BGAs).

[0013] That is, a plurality of antenna arrays are configured on the top layer of the package substrate, radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) chips are placed in a face-up configuration on the opposite side of the package substrate, and the input / output lines of the RFIC chips are connected to each antenna element in a corresponding manner.

[0014] In this case, the antenna's feeding line is constructed using dielectric layers and metal layers inside the substrate.

[0015] This configuration method of antenna modules is called "antenna-in-package" because the antenna is integrated within the package substrate. This configuration has the advantage of reducing ultra-high frequency signal loss by allowing the signal transmission line between the antenna and the RFIC to be shortened.

[0016] In addition, since integrated circuit chips such as RFICs are on the opposite side of the antenna array on the substrate, the control and power lines of the integrated circuits are not placed on the same side as the antenna, but can be placed as metal lines inside the package.

[0017] On the other hand, to connect additional passive components and connectors routed to the control and power lines of integrated circuit chips, they must be connected to another package substrate using BGA, etc.

[0018] Furthermore, in cases where a multilayer antenna structure must be implemented to improve antenna performance, or where the antenna signal transmission structure is designed to avoid interference with control and power lines, increasing the antenna array makes these structures more complex, hinders wiring, and significantly increases the number of layers on the package substrate. Such an increase in the number of substrate layers makes it more difficult to dissipate heat generated from high-power devices through the package substrate.

[0019] Furthermore, since the signal lines of both the antenna and the RFIC chip are configured on a single package substrate, the characteristics of the RF signal lines of the RFIC chip and the antenna can only be evaluated in a combined form. In other words, it is not possible to evaluate the characteristics of the antenna array alone or to evaluate the characteristics of the RF signal lines of the RFIC chip individually. Additionally, since defects caused by design and manufacturing processes cannot be evaluated individually, there are difficulties in identifying and improving defects and increasing yield. Moreover, if defects occur in high-power components such as RFIC chips, as well as their associated parts and lines, during the use of the antenna module, there is no method to evaluate them and detect the defective parts.

[0020] In addition, since the routing parts for the control and power lines of the antenna and RFIC chips must be configured together in this manner, there are limitations in using a substrate material suitable for the antenna's characteristics. That is, when applying a package substrate made of a material with low dielectric loss in the ultra-high frequency band, it is very expensive, has poor rigidity, and there are limitations in configuring the substrate in multiple layers.

[0021] Accordingly, a method was also proposed to separately fabricate a substrate with an antenna and a PCB package substrate with a radio frequency integrated circuit chip and bond them together.

[0022] According to Korean registered patent 2145219, etc., in order to provide an antenna module that is advantageous for improving antenna performance or miniaturization, a method is proposed to electrically connect an antenna substrate, on which an antenna array and a part of its feeding structure are formed, by a bonding method, separately from a PCB package substrate on which a semiconductor chip such as a radio frequency integrated circuit chip is arranged and a related circuit is formed.

[0023] Typically, feeding metal vias for transmitting RF signals that are directly connected to each antenna and metal vias for transmitting RF signals that are directly connected to a radio frequency integrated circuit chip are electrically connected and fixed using ball-shaped bumps.

[0024] In this way, the package board on which the antenna board and RFIC chip are placed is directly connected via bumps, or an interposer board is additionally configured in between to rewire and connect them; however, a structure is always used to electrically connect and secure the boards using ball-shaped bumps.

[0025] At this time, as the number of antenna elements increases, the number of bumps for signal transmission and substrate attachment increases. Also, as the operating frequency increases, the required bump size becomes smaller.

[0026] The method of connecting a package substrate on top of such a package substrate is a type of package-on-package method. Since the antenna substrate and the package substrate of the radio frequency integrated circuit chip are fabricated separately, it has the advantage of allowing different materials to be used for the antenna substrate and the package substrate.

[0027] Therefore, in order to improve characteristics such as antenna gain, the antenna and antenna feeding structure can be effectively designed in multiple layers, and there is an advantage in that the substrate material can also be effectively selected.

[0028] However, not only antenna signal line feed vias but also ground vias must be perfectly connected via bumps. Therefore, a complex manufacturing process for these multiple bump connections is additionally required.

[0029] Furthermore, bumps used for connecting antenna signal lines can cause impedance mismatches, potentially leading to significant loss of ultra-high frequency signals. Additionally, if high-output integrated circuit chips generate excessive heat, the bonding structures between package substrates may warp due to differences in thermal expansion coefficients. Consequently, frequent defects occur where the bump bonds detach during prolonged use.

[0030] To solve these conventional problems, according to the existing Korean patent application No. 10-2024-0052373, an antenna module is presented in which an interconnection member having a slot through which a wireless signal passes is arranged between an antenna substrate containing an antenna and a package substrate having a transmission line formed therein to transmit a wireless frequency signal combined with a wireless communication chip. The antenna substrate and the package substrate are manufactured separately and configured to connect signals via the interconnection member, thereby eliminating a separate bonding connection structure and offering the advantage of being able to use the antenna substrate and the package substrate separately. Meanwhile, in this structure, the structural shape and thickness of the slot of the interconnection member formed between the antenna substrate and the package substrate become important characteristic factors that determine the bandwidth of the transmitted signal.

[0031] Furthermore, since the slot of the interconnection member of the prior art described above is an independent structure on the cross-section where it is coupled with the antenna substrate and the package substrate, there are limitations in improving wireless performance by reducing signal loss that occurs when a radio frequency signal output from the signal transmission line of the package substrate and transmitted to the antenna passes through the package substrate and the antenna substrate. There are also limitations in providing a heat dissipation structure to reduce signal loss caused by heat generated from within the package substrate, and there are problems in that it is not easy to reduce the thickness and weight of the antenna module.

[0032] Therefore, improvements to the antenna module are necessary to resolve the aforementioned problems.

[0033] Accordingly, the present invention was created to solve the above problems, and the objective of the present invention is to provide an improved antenna module that can improve wireless communication performance and reduce thickness and weight by connecting an antenna substrate and a package substrate with an interconnection member having a three-dimensional structure with slots formed therein.

[0034] The purpose of the invention is not limited to the purposes mentioned above, and other unmentioned purposes will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

[0035] An improved antenna module according to an aspect of the present invention for achieving the above objective comprises: an antenna substrate including an antenna; a package substrate including a signal transmission line that is coupled to a radio frequency integrated circuit chip and transmits a signal of the radio frequency integrated circuit chip; and an interconnection member positioned between the antenna substrate and the package substrate to connect the antenna substrate and the package substrate, and having a slot formed therein that corresponds to at least a portion of a passage through which a radio frequency signal transmitted between the signal transmission line and the antenna passes through the package substrate.

[0036] The above package substrate is positioned to correspond to a passage passing through the package substrate and has a cavity formed to accommodate the slot, and may further include a plurality of cavity shielding vias surrounding the cavity of the package substrate.

[0037] The above slot may be provided corresponding to the cavity specifications of the package substrate, or may be provided corresponding to the specifications of a passage passing through the package substrate opposite to the package substrate.

[0038] The slot corresponding to the specifications of the passage passing through the package substrate can have its cross-sectional area, length, and material determined in accordance with the wavelength of the radio frequency signal.

[0039] The above slot may be provided facing the antenna substrate and corresponding to the specifications of the passage passing through the antenna substrate.

[0040] The slot corresponding to the specifications of the passage passing through the antenna substrate can have its cross-sectional area, length, and material determined in accordance with the wavelength of the radio frequency signal.

[0041] The above antenna substrate may be characterized by including a plurality of antennas, and the plurality of antennas being spaced apart at a certain distance to form an antenna array.

[0042] The antenna substrate includes a first shielding portion disposed at the edge of the slot, and the package substrate may include a second shielding portion disposed at the edge of the slot.

[0043] The first shielding part may be characterized by a plurality of units being arranged to surround the slot to form a first radio frequency signal transmission part in the center, and the second shielding part may be characterized by a plurality of units being arranged to surround the slot to form a second radio frequency signal transmission part in the center.

[0044] The second shielding member may be characterized by including a plurality of metal layers spaced apart from each other and a plurality of second shielding vias electrically connecting the metal layers, wherein one of the metal layers selected is positioned to face the slot with the signal transmission line in between.

[0045] The antenna substrate includes a first coupling member positioned between the antenna and the slot to transmit the radio frequency signal, and the package substrate may include a second coupling member having one side connected to the signal transmission line and the other side in contact with the slot to transmit the radio frequency signal.

[0046] The first coupling part and the second coupling part may be characterized by having their ends positioned to face each other with the slot in between.

[0047] The above interconnection member may include a trench space formed on the lower surface facing the package substrate.

[0048] The above interconnection member may be characterized in that its outer surface is formed of a conductor and its interior is formed of a heterogeneous material having a lower density than that of the conductor.

[0049] The above interconnection member may include a slot member provided in the slot, and the slot member may be characterized as being a dielectric.

[0050] It may include a heat dissipation means coupled to one or more sides of the antenna substrate, the package substrate, and the interconnection member.

[0051] The above interconnection member may include a first interconnection member coupled to the lower side of the antenna substrate and a second interconnection member coupled to the upper side of the package substrate, and the first interconnection member and the second interconnection member may be characterized by having an alignment portion formed to align them at a position where they are fastened to each other.

[0052] It may include an adhesive member disposed between the lower part of the above interconnection member and the upper surface of the above package substrate.

[0053] The above interconnection member may include a ridge-forming projection formed to protrude into the slot.

[0054] The above-mentioned ridge-forming protrusions may be characterized by having a plurality of such protrusions, and the plurality of formed ridge-forming protrusions having different sizes and shapes.

[0055] Accordingly, the present invention has the advantage of easily providing at least a portion of the passage through which a radio frequency signal passes between an antenna substrate and a package substrate through an interconnection member having a three-dimensional structure in which a slot through which a radio frequency signal passes is formed, thereby improving signal transmission efficiency.

[0056] In addition, the present invention has the advantage of easily providing a heat dissipation structure to reduce output degradation and structural deformation caused by heat generated from high-output integrated circuit chips on a package substrate through an interconnect member having a three-dimensional structure in which a slot is formed through which a radio frequency signal passes.

[0057] In addition, the present invention has the advantage of reducing the thickness and weight of the antenna module through a structure in which a portion of the slot provided in the interconnection member is placed in a passage through which a radio frequency signal passes between the antenna substrate and the package substrate, or in a cavity formed in the package substrate.

[0058] In addition, the present invention has the advantage of eliminating the packaging process of fabricating multiple fine electrical connection structures between the antenna and the signal transmission line of the radio frequency integrated circuit chip.

[0059] In addition, the present invention has the advantage of preventing the electrical connection structure between the antenna substrate and the package substrate from separating due to excessive heat generation.

[0060] In addition, the present invention has the advantage of being able to provide the antenna substrate and the package substrate separately, thereby allowing the use of substrate materials that are more suitable for the respective characteristics.

[0061] In addition, the present invention has the advantage of being able to transmit signals by reducing signal loss between the antenna and the signal transmission line of the radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) chip.

[0062] In addition, the present invention has the advantage of effectively transmitting signals without signal loss or interference by enhancing the shielding effect between the slot of the interconnection member and the package substrate.

[0063] In addition, the present invention has the advantage of further improving heat dissipation characteristics by applying it to the connection between an antenna substrate and a package substrate having a cavity formed therein through an interconnection member having a front or outer surface made of a conductor (metal layer), thereby facilitating heat dissipation through the conductive interconnection member.

[0064] In addition, since the antenna substrate and the package substrate are connected through an interconnection member having a slot through which a radio frequency signal passes, the present invention has the advantage of enabling the measurement and analysis of the characteristics and defects of the antenna, or the individual measurement and analysis of the characteristics and defects of the package substrate, each radio frequency integrated circuit chip, and each signal transmission line connected thereto, thereby enabling defect detection and improving yield.

[0065] In addition, the present invention has the advantage of further improving signal transmission efficiency by placing the signal transmission line of a radio frequency integrated circuit chip inside a package substrate and placing a ground layer facing one side of the package substrate to reflect the radio frequency signal.

[0066] In addition, the present invention has the advantage of improving signal transmission efficiency by reinforcing electromagnetic coupling through the arrangement of the coupling portion of an antenna substrate and the coupling portion of a package substrate with a cavity formed within an interconnection member having a slot formed, thereby transmitting a radio frequency signal.

[0067] In addition, the present invention has the advantage of effectively configuring the routing and placement of the package substrate, as a trench space is formed on the interconnect member, allowing radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) chip, other integrated circuit (IC) chip, passive components, connectors, etc. to be placed on the surface connected to the interconnect member (300).

[0068] In addition, the present invention can efficiently secure a slot size capable of transmitting radio frequency signals using air as a medium in a slot formed in an interconnection member, and the slot formed in the interconnection member can be filled with a dielectric material with a high permittivity instead of air, in which case there is an advantage of minimizing the slot size.

[0069] In addition, the present invention can incorporate a heat dissipation means having heat dissipation fins formed on the edge of the antenna module, thereby enabling smoother heat dissipation and preventing a reduction in output loss and deformation of the substrate, etc., which has the advantage of being possible.

[0070] In addition, since the interconnection member having an alignment portion is separately coupled to an antenna substrate and a package substrate having a cavity, the present invention has the advantage of being able to selectively combine an antenna substrate and a package substrate having normal characteristics after individually inspecting the characteristics of the antenna substrate and the package substrate.

[0071] In addition, the present invention has a three-dimensional structure in which a slot through which a radio frequency signal passes is formed, and the slot-forming portion of the interconnection member is placed within the cavity of the package substrate. Since the antenna substrate and the package substrate are connected by applying an adhesive member between the outer portion of the interconnection member and the package substrate, the gap between the slot-forming portion of the interconnection member and the inside of the cavity between the package substrate can be accurately adjusted and maintained. This has the same advantage even in a structure where the interconnection member is directly placed on the passage through which the radio frequency signal passes between the antenna substrate and the package substrate without a separate cavity configuration.

[0072] In addition, the present invention has the advantage of reducing signal loss between the interconnect member and the package substrate, enhancing the shielding effect, and enabling easy fixing, and also reducing signal loss between the interconnect member and the antenna substrate, enhancing the shielding effect, and enabling easy fixing.

[0073] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description in the claims.

[0074] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an improved antenna module according to three embodiments of the present invention.

[0075] FIG. 2 is an exemplary diagram showing a separated cross-section of each component as a detailed embodiment of an improved antenna module according to the embodiment (a) of FIG. 1.

[0076] Figure 3 is an example diagram showing a cross-section in which each component of the improved antenna module of Figure 2 is combined.

[0077] FIG. 4 is an illustrative diagram showing another detailed embodiment of an improved antenna module according to embodiment (a) of FIG. 1.

[0078] FIG. 5 is an illustrative diagram showing another detailed embodiment of an improved antenna module according to embodiment (a) of FIG. 1.

[0079] FIG. 6 is an illustrative diagram showing another detailed embodiment of an improved antenna module according to embodiment (a) of FIG. 1.

[0080] FIG. 7 is an illustrative diagram showing another detailed embodiment of an improved antenna module according to embodiment (a) of FIG. 1.

[0081] FIG. 8 is an illustrative diagram showing another detailed embodiment of an improved antenna module according to embodiment (a) of FIG. 1.

[0082] FIG. 9 is an illustrative diagram showing another detailed embodiment of an improved antenna module according to embodiment (a) of FIG. 1.

[0083] FIG. 10 is an illustrative diagram showing another detailed embodiment of an improved antenna module according to embodiment (a) of FIG. 1.

[0084] FIG. 11 is an illustrative diagram showing another detailed embodiment of an improved antenna module according to embodiment (a) of FIG. 1.

[0085] FIG. 12 is an illustrative diagram showing another detailed embodiment of an improved antenna module according to embodiment (a) of FIG. 1.

[0086] Also, FIGS. 13 and 14 are illustrative diagrams for explaining the slot structure formed in the interconnection member of the improved antenna module of the present invention.

[0087] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. However, the scope of the patent application is not limited or restricted by these embodiments. Identical reference numerals in each drawing indicate identical components.

[0088] Various modifications may be made to the embodiments described below. The embodiments described below are not intended to limit the forms of practice and should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and substitutions thereof.

[0089] Terms such as "first" or "second" may be used to describe various components, but these terms should be understood solely for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, a first component may be named a second component, and similarly, a second component may be named a first component.

[0090] The terms used in the embodiments are used merely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the embodiments. A singular expression includes a plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this specification, phrases such as “A or B,” “at least one of A and B,” “at least one of A or B,” “A, B or C,” “at least one of A, B and C,” and “at least one of A, B, or C” may each include any one of the items listed together with the corresponding phrase, or any possible combination thereof. In this specification, terms such as “comprising” or “having” are intended to indicate the presence of the features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and should be understood as not precluding the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0091] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the embodiments pertain. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology, and should not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined in this application.

[0092] In addition, when describing with reference to the attached drawings, identical components are assigned the same reference numeral regardless of drawing symbols, and redundant descriptions thereof are omitted. When describing the embodiments, if it is determined that a detailed description of related prior art could unnecessarily obscure the essence of the embodiments, such detailed description is omitted.

[0093] The improved antenna module of the present invention is configured to improve wireless communication performance and enable reduction in thickness and weight by connecting the antenna substrate and the package substrate with an interconnection member having a three-dimensional structure with slots formed therein.

[0094] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0095] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an improved antenna module according to three embodiments of the present invention.

[0096] The improved antenna module of the present invention comprises an antenna substrate including an antenna, a package substrate including a signal transmission line that is coupled to a radio frequency integrated circuit chip and transmits a signal of the radio frequency integrated circuit chip, and an interconnection member positioned between the antenna substrate and the package substrate to connect the antenna substrate and the package substrate, and having a slot formed therein that corresponds to at least a portion of the passage through which a radio frequency signal transmitted between the signal transmission line and the antenna passes through the package substrate.

[0097] As illustrated in figure (a) of FIG. 1, a portion of the slot (310) formed in the interconnect member (300) may be disposed in the cavity of the package substrate (200). Here, the slot (310) is a structure comprising a slot forming portion (311) disposed within the cavity of the package substrate (200), and an outer portion (312) supporting the slot forming portion (311).

[0098] The slot (310) corresponds to at least a portion of the passage through which a radio frequency signal passes through the package substrate (200) and the antenna substrate (100), and the reference numeral '310' is indicated on the passage to signify this.

[0099] The cavity of the package substrate (200) refers to a space that is partially empty downwards relative to the upper surface of the package substrate (200), corresponding to a passage for mutually transmitting radio frequency signals between a signal transmission line (220) that transmits a signal of a radio frequency integrated circuit chip (210) and an antenna (110).

[0100] By arranging the slot forming portion (311) of the interconnection member (300) within the cavity of the package substrate (200) as such, signal loss that leaks when a radio frequency signal output from the signal transmission line (220) passes through the connection portion between the package substrate (200) and the interconnection member (300) can be reduced, interference with various signals generated from the package substrate (200) can be reduced, and a heat dissipation structure for heat generated from the package substrate (200) can be easily provided.

[0101] In addition, as the slot forming portion (311) of the interconnect member (300) is positioned within the cavity of the package substrate (200), the signal transmission portion can be reduced on the passage through which the radio frequency signal passes within the package substrate (200). This is because the signal transmission portion within the package substrate (200) is a dielectric material, so the loss is greater than that of the air layer that serves as the passage through the slot. Furthermore, by positioning the slot forming portion within the cavity structure in this way, it is possible to reduce the weight of the improved antenna module, and the cross-sectional height of the interconnect member (300) connecting the antenna substrate (100) and the package substrate (200) can be reduced, thereby reducing the thickness of the improved antenna module.

[0102] As described above, the package substrate (200) is positioned to correspond to a passage passing through the package substrate (200) and a cavity is formed to accommodate a slot forming portion (311). By further including a plurality of cavity shielding vias surrounding the cavity, the efficiency of preventing leakage of radio frequency signals can be further improved.

[0103] A more detailed description of the improved antenna module of the present invention illustrated in Figure 1 (a) will be provided below in Figures 2 to 13.

[0104] Meanwhile, as illustrated in Figure 1 (b), a portion of the slot (310-1) formed in the interconnection member (300-1) may be positioned to correspond to at least a portion of the transmission path of the radio frequency signal. Here, the slot (310-1) is a structure comprising a slot forming portion (311-1) positioned to correspond to at least a portion of the path through which the radio frequency signal, which is output from the signal transmission line (220) of the package substrate (200) and transmitted to the antenna (110), passes through the package substrate (200) and the antenna substrate (100), and an outer portion (312-1) supporting the slot forming portion (311-1).

[0105] The slot (310-1) corresponds to at least a portion of the passage through which a radio frequency signal passes through the package substrate (200) and the antenna substrate (100), and the reference numeral '310-1' is indicated on the passage to signify this.

[0106] Referring to Figure 1 (b), the slot forming portion (311-1) is provided corresponding to the transmission path of a radio frequency signal passing through the package substrate (200), and a structure surrounding a longer area of ​​the transmission path of the radio frequency signal passing through the package substrate (200) is possible.

[0107] That is, a significant number of signal transmission unit configurations can be removed to reduce signal loss in the path to the point where the interconnect member (300-1) is located, in the path through which the radio frequency signal output from the signal transmission line (220) transmitting the signal of the radio frequency integrated circuit chip (210) is transmitted to the antenna.

[0108] The slot forming portion (311-1) of such an interconnection member (300-1) can easily provide a signal transmission portion for reducing loss of radio frequency signals passing through the package substrate (200) as described above, and can reduce interference with various signals generated from the package substrate (200) for a more extended passage section than the embodiment (a) of FIG. 1, can reduce signal interference caused by the gap between the slot of the adjacent interconnection member (300) and the package substrate (200), and can easily provide a heat dissipation structure for heat generated from the package substrate (200).

[0109] And, the detailed structure and auxiliary structure of the embodiment of the improved antenna module of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 (b) shall be described in accordance with the previously described figure and detailed description of FIG. 1 (a) and FIG. 2 to 14 and the detailed description of these figures to be further described below.

[0110] FIG. 2 is an exemplary diagram showing a separate cross-section of each component as a detailed example of an improved antenna module according to the embodiment (a) of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an exemplary diagram showing a cross-section of each component combined for the improved antenna module of FIG. 2.

[0111] As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the antenna module (1000) may include an antenna substrate (100) that includes an antenna (110), a package substrate (200) that has a cavity (205) formed therein and a signal transmission line (220) that transmits a radio frequency signal of the radio frequency integrated circuit chip (210) combined therein, and a three-dimensional interconnection member (300) that is positioned between the antenna substrate (100) and the package substrate (200) to connect the antenna substrate (100) and the package substrate (200), and has a slot (310) through which a radio frequency signal passes, with a part of the slot disposed within the cavity of the package substrate.

[0112] Meanwhile, the interconnection member (300) of the three-dimensional structure having a slot (310) formed therein has a slot forming part (311) that forms the slot, and the thickness of the slot forming part (311) is configured to be thicker than the outer part (312) without a slot so that it can be placed within the cavity (205) of the package substrate.

[0113] To explain in detail, transmission of the antenna is performed by transmitting a high-frequency signal in a radio frequency band from a radio frequency integrated circuit chip (210) coupled to the package substrate (200) through the signal transmission line, and then radiating an electromagnetic wave having characteristics such as a pre-designed frequency band and beam width from the antenna (110). Reception of the antenna is performed by transmitting the received signal to the radio frequency integrated circuit chip (210) when the electromagnetic wave is received from the antenna (110).

[0114] At this time, since the performance of the antenna module, such as the transmission and reception output, is improved as the signal loss occurring during the radio frequency signal transmission process in the ultra-high frequency band between the antenna (110) and the radio frequency integrated circuit chip (210) is reduced, the present invention places an interconnection member (300) having a slot (310) formed therein between the antenna substrate (100) and the package substrate (200) having a cavity (205) as shown in FIG. 1, and a part of the slot forming part (311) that forms the slot (310) is placed within the cavity of the package substrate to create a passage through which the radio frequency signal passes with low loss, thereby enabling more effective radio frequency signal transmission between the antenna (110) and the signal transmission line (220) of the radio frequency integrated circuit chip.

[0115] Additionally, the interconnect member (300) having the slot (310) formed therein is positioned between the antenna substrate (100) and the package substrate (200) having the cavity (205), and a part of the slot forming part (311) forming the slot (310) is placed within the cavity of the package substrate to create a passage for the radio frequency signal to pass through, thereby enhancing the shielding effect to prevent the radio frequency signal from causing interference.

[0116] In addition, since the antenna substrate (100) and the package substrate (200) are connected through an interconnection member having a slot (310) through which a radio frequency signal passes, the packaging process of fabricating multiple fine electrical connection structures between the antenna (110) and the signal transmission line (220) of the radio frequency integrated circuit chip, which is a conventional antenna module package connection method, can be eliminated.

[0117] In addition, the antenna module of the present invention is configured such that the antenna substrate (100) and the package substrate (200) are connected through an interconnection member (300) in which the slot (310) through which a radio frequency signal passes is formed, thereby preventing the separation of electrical connection structures, such as fine ball-shaped bumps between the antenna substrate and the package substrate, due to heat generated during long-term module operation in the antenna module of the conventional invention.

[0118] In addition, since the antenna substrate (100) and the package substrate (200) are connected through an interconnection member having a slot (310) through which a radio frequency signal passes to implement an antenna module, the antenna substrate and the package substrate can be implemented separately, allowing the use of substrate materials that are more suitable for their respective characteristics.

[0119] In addition, the interconnect member (300) of the present invention is implemented with a front or outer surface made of a conductor (metal layer) and is located within the cavity (205) of the package substrate (200), so that heat generated from high-power devices of the package substrate can be effectively released through the interconnect member (300), thereby further improving heat dissipation characteristics.

[0120] In addition, since the antenna module of the present invention is connected to an antenna substrate (100) and a package substrate (200) through an interconnection member (300) having a slot through which a radio frequency signal passes, it is possible to measure and analyze the characteristics and defects of the antenna, or to individually measure and analyze the characteristics and defects of the package substrate, individual radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) chips, and each signal transmission line connected thereto, thereby enabling defect detection and improving yield.

[0121] The above antenna (110) may be arranged in multiple numbers on the antenna substrate (100) to form an antenna array, and such an antenna array may be composed of multiple layers. The antenna (100) may be manufactured by forming (patterning) a metal layer on the upper surface or inside the antenna substrate (100), or it may be manufactured separately and combined with the upper surface.

[0122] At this time, the slot (310) formed in the interconnect member (300) and the cavity (205) of the package substrate (200) may also be formed in the same number as the antenna (110), and when the interconnect member (300) and the package substrate (200) are combined with the antenna substrate (100), they may be arranged in a manner corresponding to one each with the antenna (110).

[0123] The above interconnection member (300) has one or more slots (310) configured inside, and it is preferable that the surface of the slot be implemented as a conductor so that electromagnetic waves are transmitted without loss, and it functions to allow electromagnetic waves to be transmitted well up and down in a hollow form with the upper and lower sides penetrating. That is, the slot can be implemented in a shape similar to a waveguide, and the hollow internal shape can be implemented in a slender rectangular shape, a “C” shape, or an “H” shape. Additionally, it can be implemented in a shape with multiple ridges to set the pass-through frequency band. It can also be implemented in a circular shape, or in a circular shape that includes multiple ridges.

[0124] When forming an antenna array using multiple antennas (110), the arrangement period (L1) between the antennas (110) is most preferably formed at half the wavelength (0.5 times the wavelength) of the frequency band mainly used, taking into account the gain of the antenna array and the angle adjustment of the beam, but it may also be formed at other intervals such as 0.55 times or 0.6 times as needed, and it goes without saying that such intervals can be adjusted according to the arrangement space of the radio frequency integrated circuit chip (210) and related circuits. Meanwhile, the arrangement period between the antennas also determines the spacing between the slots of the interconnection member and the spacing between the cavities (205) of the package substrate.

[0125] In addition, since the antenna substrate (100) has the advantage of reducing transmission loss of radio frequency signals when manufactured with a substrate having a low dielectric loss rate, it is recommended to manufacture it in a stacked form with multiple dielectric layers having a low dielectric loss rate. In one embodiment, the dielectric forming the dielectric layer is recommended to be a Teflon material for ultra-high frequency that has a low dielectric loss rate in the millimeter wave band, but it may also be a low-temperature fired ceramic, a high-temperature fired ceramic, alumina, etc., which are advantageous for multilayer formation.

[0126] The antenna substrate (100) may include a plurality of metal layers and vias vertically connecting the metal layers in addition to a plurality of dielectric layers.

[0127] In addition, the package substrate (200) equipped with a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) chip can also be manufactured in a stacked form of multiple dielectrics, and, if necessary, can be formed in a heterojunction form in which various materials are combined rather than a single material.

[0128] In addition, the package substrate (200) may include various integrated circuit (IC) chips such as a power amplifier and a mixer, various passive components such as an inductor, a capacitor, and a resistor, and connectors for connection, in addition to the radio frequency integrated circuit chip (210) and the signal transmission line (220).

[0129] A package substrate may have a metal layer and connection vias formed thereon, and may have metal wiring for routing signal transmission wiring, power, control signals, etc., for transmitting radio frequency signals, a ground layer, and a shielding structure arranged thereon.

[0130] Package substrates transmit not only signals in the high-frequency wireless communication frequency band but also various analog signals such as power and control signals, and can be composed of radio frequency integrated circuit chips, various integrated circuit chips, passive components, connectors, etc. Therefore, there are requirements that the dielectric loss rate must be low to minimize signal attenuation in the wireless communication frequency band, the mechanical rigidity must be excellent to prevent the substrate from bending due to various processes and heat generation, and the material cost must not be high since the substrate must be fabricated as a multilayer structure. Furthermore, as the wireless communication frequency band increases, the integration density of components increases and the implementation of wiring becomes more complex, making the characteristics of the above requirements even more necessary.

[0131] However, materials such as Teflon, which are mainly used because of their low dielectric loss at ultra-high frequencies, have poor mechanical strength and are very expensive when implemented in multiple layers, while materials such as FR4, which are used cheaply at low frequencies, have relatively excellent mechanical strength and are easy to implement in multiple layers, but have the disadvantage of being difficult to apply because of their very high dielectric loss at ultra-high frequencies.

[0132] Therefore, since it is difficult to satisfy these diverse requirements when applying a single dielectric material, substrates are sometimes implemented with heterojunction structures by applying heterogeneous dielectrics; however, this presents problems such as difficulty in realizing multilayer structures and a significant increase in manufacturing costs.

[0133] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the antenna substrate (100) may include a first shielding portion (120) disposed at the edge of the slot (310), and the package substrate (200) may include a second shielding portion (230) disposed at the edge of the slot (310).

[0134] To explain in detail, by using the first shielding part (120) and the second shielding part (230) to form a radio frequency signal transmission structure between the antenna (110) and the signal transmission line (220) that are positioned facing each other, the transmission loss of the radio frequency signal (R) is minimized, and at the same time, signal interference between the radio frequency signal transmitted between the other antenna and the signal transmission line (220) and the analog signal used for device operation is blocked.

[0135] At this time, it is recommended that the first shielding part (120) be arranged in a manner that surrounds the slot (310) to form a first radio frequency signal transmission part (101) in which the inflow of external signals is blocked in the center, and that the second shielding part (230) be arranged in a manner that surrounds the slot (310) to form a second radio frequency signal transmission part (201) in which the inflow of external signals is blocked in the center.

[0136] That is, a first shielding part (120) and a second shielding part (230) having a material or structure capable of shielding electromagnetic waves in the transmission and reception frequency band are respectively configured to form a first radio frequency signal transmission part (101) and a second radio frequency signal transmission part (201) capable of excluding interference from external signals on an antenna substrate (100) and a package substrate (200).

[0137] The first radio frequency signal transmission unit (101) and the second radio frequency signal transmission unit (201) refer to a specific area of ​​the antenna substrate (100) and a specific area of ​​the package substrate (200) wrapped by the first shielding unit (120) and the second shielding unit (230), and it goes without saying that a plurality of them may be formed corresponding to the number of input / output ports of the antenna (110) and the radio frequency integrated circuit chip (210).

[0138] Additionally, the first shielding part (120) may include a plurality of metal layers (121) spaced apart from each other and a plurality of first shielding vias (122) connecting the plurality of metal layers (121), and the second shielding part (230) may include a plurality of metal layers (231) spaced apart from each other and a plurality of second shielding vias (232) electrically connecting the metal layers (231). Typically, these metal layers and shielding vias are configured to operate as grounds for radio frequency (RF) signals.

[0139] Meanwhile, a cavity (205) is formed in the upper part of the package substrate (200) in a shape where a part of it is recessed inward, and the upper surface of the package substrate exposed by the cavity becomes the upper part of the second radio frequency signal transmission part (201) surrounded by the second shielding part (230) of the package substrate. Also, the outside of the cavity is surrounded by a cavity shielding via (206) formed within the package substrate. The cavity shielding via (206) has an outer surface formed by a metal layer, and its upper and lower parts are connected to the metal layer. Therefore, by arranging the cavity shielding via (206) in a way that surrounds the cavity to serve as a shield, it serves to shield against signal interference that may occur due to the connection gap between the interconnecting member and the package substrate when transmitting a radio frequency signal through the slot of the interconnecting member arranged within the cavity. In other words, this cavity structure and cavity shielding structure enable shielding against signal interference caused by the gap between the adjacent slot and the signal transmission unit. Additionally, to enhance this shielding effect, it can be configured with an array of two or more rows (indicated as two rows in the drawing).

[0140] In addition, by placing a portion of the slot of the interconnect member within the cavity of the package substrate and joining them, the signal transmission section of the package substrate can be reduced. By reducing the transmission length of the signal transmission section in this way, signal loss can be reduced. This is because the signal transmission section within the package substrate is typically composed of a dielectric material, so the dielectric loss becomes greater than that of air, which is the signal transmission medium through the slot.

[0141] In addition, by placing a portion of the slot of the interconnect member within the cavity of the package substrate and joining them, the thickness and weight of the overall antenna module can be reduced. This enables a reduction in manufacturing costs and weight of the antenna module, thereby increasing its usability.

[0142] In addition, a portion of the slot of the interconnect member is placed and coupled within the cavity of the package substrate, which has the advantage of facilitating the dissipation of heat generated by high-power devices inside the package substrate.

[0143] FIG. 4 is an illustrative diagram showing another detailed embodiment of an improved antenna module according to embodiment (a) of FIG. 1.

[0144] Figures 4 (a), (b), and (c) each illustrate the upper surfaces of an antenna substrate (100), a three-dimensional interconnection member (300), and a package substrate (200) in an improved antenna module.

[0145] Referring to Figure 4 (a), an array of antennas (110) is arranged on an antenna substrate at regular intervals (L1). Although the shape of the antennas (110) is shown as a square, various shapes such as a circle are possible, and they are not necessarily limited to the shape shown.

[0146] Referring to Figure 4(b), the interconnect member (300) is composed of a slot forming part (320) that corresponds one-to-one with the cavity (205) of the package substrate, a slot (310) formed by the slot forming part (311), and an outer part (312) having a thinner thickness than the slot forming part. The slot forming part (311) forming the slot (310) is formed thicker than the outer part (312), and it is preferable that the thickness be such that it can be coupled inside the cavity (305) of the package substrate (since the slot forming part is not shown on the upper surface, it is indicated by a dotted line for explanation).

[0147] Referring to Figure 4(c), the cavity (305) of the package substrate is arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the arrangement of the antenna and interconnection member, and a second radio frequency signal transmission unit (201) is formed in the area below the cavity. Cavity shielding vias are arranged to surround the cavity. The second radio frequency signal transmission unit is configured to be surrounded by a second shielding unit composed of a plurality of metal layers and the second shielding vias. The upper surface of the package substrate is preferably formed with a metal layer and connected to the ground layer, but is not necessarily limited thereto. If necessary, the metal layer in some areas may be removed, and patterned circuits and other components may be present.

[0148] FIG. 5 is an illustrative diagram showing another detailed embodiment of an improved antenna module according to embodiment (a) of FIG. 1.

[0149] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the antenna module (1000) may have one of the selected metal layers (231) among the plurality of metal layers constituting the second shielding part (230) positioned to face the slot (310) with the signal transmission line (220) in between.

[0150] To explain in detail, a signal transmission line (220) connected to a radio frequency integrated circuit chip is placed inside a package substrate (220), and a metal layer (231) is placed behind the signal transmission line (220), so that the metal layer (231) placed behind can reflect the applied radio frequency signal, thereby improving the radio frequency signal transmission efficiency.

[0151] At this time, the arrangement and connection of the metal layer (231), the second shielding via (232), and the power and control signal lines (202) must, of course, be arranged in an optimal form so as not to interfere with each other.

[0152] Referring to FIG. 6, the antenna substrate (100) of the antenna module (1000) includes a first coupling part (130) that is positioned between the antenna (110) and the slot (310) to transmit a radio frequency signal, and the package substrate (200) may include a second coupling part (240) that transmits a radio frequency signal, with one side connected to the signal transmission line (220) and the other side in contact with the slot (310).

[0153] To explain in detail, the radio frequency signal is transmitted through a first coupling part (130) and a second coupling part (240) that have high signal transmission capabilities through signal coupling, thereby maximizing the transmission efficiency of the wireless signal. That is, the first coupling part (130) of the antenna substrate and the coupling part (240) of the package substrate are arranged facing each other within an interconnection member in which a slot is formed, thereby strengthening electromagnetic coupling and transmitting the radio frequency signal, so that the signal transmission efficiency can be improved.

[0154] At this time, it is recommended that the ends of the first coupling part (130) and the second coupling part (240) be arranged to face each other with a slot (310) in between within the first radio frequency signal transmission part (101) and the second radio frequency signal transmission part (201), respectively.

[0155] And, the first coupling part (130) may include a first coupling pattern (131) that radiates a radio frequency signal and a first connecting via (132) that forms a path through which the radio frequency signal is transmitted, and the second coupling part (240) may include a second coupling pattern (241) that radiates a radio frequency signal and a second connecting via (242) that forms a path through which the radio frequency signal is transmitted.

[0156] At this time, only one of the first coupling part (130) or the second coupling part (240) may be formed.

[0157] Meanwhile, the first connection via (132) within the package substrate may be connected to the signal transmission line (220) as shown in the drawing, or it may be connected directly from the radio frequency integrated circuit chip (210) to the first connection via (132) to form the first coupling part (130). The configuration of the signal transmission line (220) is not necessarily required.

[0158] FIG. 6 is an illustrative diagram showing another detailed embodiment of an improved antenna module according to embodiment (a) of FIG. 1.

[0159] As shown in FIG. 6, the interconnection member (300) of the antenna module (1000) may have a trench space (320) formed in the outer portion (312) which is the lower surface facing the package substrate (200).

[0160] To explain in detail, in the case of the package substrate (200), a radio frequency integrated circuit chip (210), other integrated circuit chips, passive components, connectors, signal transmission lines, etc. are formed. If these components are formed on the lower surface, the connection wiring becomes complex, especially towards the lower surface, and there is a problem that the number of wiring layers inside the package substrate (200) for electrical connection increases. Therefore, a trench space (320) is formed in the outer portion (312), which is the lower surface of the interconnection member (300) facing the package substrate (200), so that components such as the radio frequency integrated circuit chip (210), passive components, connectors, and signal transmission lines can be placed on the upper surface of the package substrate (200) adjacent to the antenna substrate (100).

[0161] As described above, when the components are freely arranged through the trench space (320), power and control signal lines (202) can be formed on the lower surface of the package substrate (200), so that the analog signal routing wiring is moved away from the signal transmission line (220), and thus the effect of the analog signal of the power and control signal lines (202) not interfering with the radio frequency signal also occurs.

[0162] Therefore, when the path through which radio frequency signals are transmitted and the analog signal routing wiring are adjacent, signal interference occurs, making it difficult to implement an antenna module in the millimeter wave band, which is an ultra-high frequency. Therefore, this trench space has the advantage of solving the problem of having to configure the antenna module (1000) in more layers to secure a suitable placement space. That is, by utilizing the trench space on the interconnect member, parts of the radio frequency integrated circuit chip (RFIC), other integrated circuit chips, passive components, connectors, etc. that are coupled to the package substrate can be placed within this trench space on the surface coupled to the interconnect member (300) as needed, thus having the advantage of effectively configuring the routing and placement of the package substrate.

[0163] At this time, although not shown in the drawing, the metal layer and wiring on the upper part of the package substrate must be patterned to properly connect and separate chips, passive components, connectors, etc. placed in the trench space.

[0164] FIG. 7 is an illustrative diagram showing another detailed embodiment of an improved antenna module according to embodiment (a) of FIG. 1.

[0165] As illustrated in FIG. 7, the interconnect member (300) of the antenna module (1000) may have an outer surface formed of a conductor and an inner surface formed of a heterogeneous material having a lower density than the conductor.

[0166] To explain in detail, since the interconnect member (300) must shield the radio frequency signal passing through the slot (310), it must be formed of a conductor (metal) material capable of fencing electromagnetic waves. However, if the entire interconnect member (300) is formed of a conductor material, there is a problem that the load of the antenna module increases. Therefore, only the specific part that needs to fence electromagnetic waves is formed of a conductor material, and the interior (304) that does not need to fence electromagnetic waves is formed of a different type of material (an insulator such as a dielectric, foamed metal, or flexible material) to minimize the weight.

[0167] In addition, the outer surface of the interconnect member (300) may not be formed entirely of the same material but may be formed of multiple materials. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6 (b), the inner outer surface (301) in contact with the slot (310) may be formed of a metal with high conductivity, while the upper surface (302) and lower surface (303) may be formed of a metal with high thermal conductivity so that heat dissipation can be effectively achieved. It is obvious that heat dissipation can be effectively achieved through the interconnect member (300) because metal generally has a much higher thermal conductivity than dielectrics.

[0168] At this time, the metal with high conductivity and the metal with high thermal conductivity may include Al, Cu, Ag, or alloys of these metals, but are not limited to these as they may include various other metals.

[0169] FIG. 8 is an illustrative diagram showing another detailed embodiment of an improved antenna module according to embodiment (a) of FIG. 1.

[0170] As illustrated in FIG. 8, the interconnection member (300) of the antenna module (1000) includes a slot member (330) provided in the slot (310), and the slot member (330) may be a dielectric.

[0171] To explain in detail, as described above with reference to the first embodiment, the antenna module (1000) of the present invention has directionality as the radio frequency signal passes through the slot (310), thereby minimizing transmission loss that occurs during the radio frequency signal transmission process between the antenna (110) and the signal transmission line (220).

[0172] At this time, the air located in the slot (310) is used as a medium for transmitting radio frequency signals. However, since there is a problem that the size of the slot (310) must be above a certain level when using air as a medium, the present invention fills the slot (310) with a slot member (330) having a higher dielectric constant than air so that the same radio frequency signal transmission capability can be maintained even if the size of the slot (310) is reduced.

[0173] The structure and size of a slot must be designed to match the frequency band of the antenna module; however, when air with a permittivity of 1 is used, the size of the slot is implemented to be relatively larger compared to when a material with a high permittivity is filled inside the slot. When implementing a smaller slot, the trench space can be expanded to facilitate placement, or the conductive layer can be expanded to improve heat dissipation characteristics. Therefore, since a dielectric material with a permittivity higher than that of air is filled into such a slot, there is an advantage in that the slot size can be minimized. Various materials, such as FR4 and Teflon, which are dielectric materials commonly used in substrates, can be applied as such slot materials.

[0174] FIG. 9 is an illustrative diagram showing another detailed embodiment of an improved antenna module according to embodiment (a) of FIG. 1.

[0175] As illustrated in FIG. 9, the antenna module (1000) may include a heat dissipation means (400) coupled to one or more sides of the antenna substrate (100), package substrate (200), and interconnect member (300).

[0176] To explain in detail, the antenna module (1000) of the present invention communicates using a high-output signal generating element, and thus heat is generated from the high-output elements. When the heat generated from these high-output elements rises above a certain level, it can alter the characteristics of the elements and physically deform the module, such as the package substrate and the antenna substrate. Therefore, in the present invention, the heat is effectively released through the heat dissipation means (400).

[0177] To explain once again, in the case of the antenna substrate (100) and package substrate (200), the lower the dielectric loss, the less the loss of the radio frequency signal occurs. However, materials such as Teflon, which have low dielectric loss, are not only expensive but also have low thermal conductivity and mechanical properties, so there is a problem that deformation due to heat occurs easily. Therefore, heat is released through the heat dissipation means (400) to prevent the reduction of output loss of the antenna module due to heat and the deformation of the antenna substrate (100) and package substrate (200).

[0178] At this time, the heat dissipation means (400) may include a heat dissipation pad (410) that is combined in a manner that wraps around the side of an antenna module (1000) in which an antenna substrate (100), a package substrate (200), and an interconnection member (300) are combined, and a plurality of heat dissipation fins (420) that are spaced apart and formed on the outer surface of the heat dissipation pad (410).

[0179] In addition, when the outer surface of the interconnect member (300) is formed of a metal with high thermal conductivity, heat transfer to the heat dissipation means (400) can be achieved more effectively.

[0180] FIG. 10 is an illustrative diagram showing another detailed embodiment of an improved antenna module according to embodiment (a) of FIG. 1.

[0181] As illustrated in FIG. 10, the antenna module (1000) includes a first interconnect member (300A) coupled to the lower side of the antenna substrate (100) and a second interconnect member (300B) coupled to the upper side of the package substrate (200), and the first interconnect member (300A) and the second interconnect member (300B) may have alignment members (305, 306) formed to align the positions where they are connected to each other.

[0182] To explain in detail, in the case of conventional antenna package modules with integrated antennas, the antenna pattern is formed on the upper surface of the package substrate to be implemented together. Consequently, while the overall characteristics (state) of the antenna module can be assessed, the individual characteristics of the antenna and its signal connection points, as well as the radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) chip and its signal connection points, cannot be determined. This results in the entire antenna module having to be discarded if the characteristic test results are defective, making it impossible to identify and improve defects individually. Furthermore, this leads to high unit costs and low mass production yields.

[0183] Accordingly, in the present invention, a first assembly module (10) is formed by combining a first interconnect member (300A) on the lower side of an antenna substrate (100), and a second assembly module (10) is formed by combining a second interconnect member (300B) on the upper surface of a package substrate (200). Afterward, the characteristics of the antenna substrate (100) and the package substrate (200) are each inspected, and the antenna substrate (100) and the package substrate (200) that are determined to be in a normal state during the characteristic inspection are combined with each other to increase the mass production yield of the antenna module.

[0184] In particular, the output characteristics of the radio frequency integrated circuit chip (210), its signal connection line (220), and the signal transmission unit (232) can be analyzed individually using measuring equipment, making it easy to identify defects in the radio frequency integrated circuit chip or the signal transmission unit. Additionally, it is possible to identify a decrease in the output of the radio frequency integrated circuit chip after long-term operation and replace only the corresponding radio frequency integrated circuit chip.

[0185] Of course, it is obvious that, depending on the necessity and ease of use, it is also possible to separately evaluate and analyze the characteristics of the antenna substrate and the package substrate in the antenna module configuration of the present invention without using the aforementioned interconnection member.

[0186] At this time, it is recommended that alignment portions (305, 306) be formed in the first interconnect member (300A) and the second interconnect member (300B) so that alignment and coupling can be easily performed after characteristic inspection.

[0187] The alignment portion may include various means for aligning the coupling position, and in one embodiment, it may include an alignment projection formed on either the first interconnect member (300A) and the second interconnect member (300B), and an alignment groove formed at a position facing the alignment projection.

[0188] For example, if an alignment projection is formed on the lower surface of the first interconnect member (300A) and an alignment groove is formed on the upper surface of the second interconnect member (300B), the alignment projection is fitted into the alignment groove so that the fastening position can be aligned.

[0189] FIG. 12 is an illustrative diagram showing another detailed embodiment of an improved antenna module according to embodiment (a) of FIG. 1.

[0190] As illustrated in FIG. 12, when combining the interconnect member (300) and the package substrate (200), the connection can be made by placing an adhesive member (350) between the lower surface of the outer portion (330), which is a slotless area of ​​the interconnect member, and the upper surface of the package substrate (200). It is preferable that the adhesive member be composed of a metallic component that shields electromagnetic waves to shield the space between the interconnect member and the package substrate. Additionally, the interconnect member and the package substrate can be fixed by having adhesive properties.

[0191] In this way, by applying an adhesive member between the interconnection member (300) and the package substrate (200), a certain gap can be determined or maintained between the slot portion (320) within the cavity of the package substrate and the upper surface of the second radio frequency signal transmission portion (201) by the thickness of the adhesive member (350). The gap between the slot portion (320) and the second radio frequency signal transmission portion (201), or whether they are in direct contact, is one of the major design elements that determine the frequency band passing through the slot. By applying the adhesive member in this manner, the frequency band passing through the slot in the antenna module can be controlled, and there is an advantage of performing the shielding and fixing roles described above.

[0192] Also, FIGS. 13 and 14 are illustrative diagrams for explaining the slot structure formed in the interconnection member of the improved antenna module of the present invention.

[0193] As illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14, the interconnecting member (300) may include a ridge-forming projection (340) that is formed to protrude into the slot (310).

[0194] To explain in detail, the thickness of a portion of the slot (310) is formed thinly through the ridge-forming protrusion (340), thereby allowing the frequency band of the electromagnetic waves passing through the slot (310) to be adjusted or the transmission characteristics to be improved.

[0195] At this time, the ridge-forming projection (340) may be formed on only one side of the left or right of the slot (310) as shown in FIG. 13 (a), but may also include a first ridge-forming projection (341) formed on the left side and a second ridge-forming projection (342) formed on the right side as shown in FIG. 13 (b).

[0196] The slot (310) shown in partial enlargement in FIGS. 13 and 14 is depicted as reversed left and right for a more specific explanation, and as shown in FIG. 13, when multiple ridge grooves are formed in the height direction of the slot (310), the height of the ridge grooves can vary in various ways and is not limited.

[0197] Additionally, the ridge-forming protrusion (340) may include a plurality of protrusions having different shapes that are sequentially formed along the length direction of the slot (340) as shown in FIG. 13 (a) and (b). More specifically, the first ridge-forming protrusion (341) may include a first-1 ridge-forming protrusion and a first-2 ridge-forming protrusion formed on the upper and lower sides and having different shapes, and the second ridge-forming protrusion (342) may include a second-1 ridge-forming protrusion and a second-2 ridge-forming protrusion formed on the upper and lower sides and having different shapes.

[0198] In addition, the slot (310) may have a ridge groove formed by the ridge-forming projection (340) described above, and the ridge groove may include a first ridge groove (311) formed by the first ridge-forming projection (341) and a second ridge groove (312) formed by the second ridge-forming projection (342) as shown in FIG. 11, and a first-1 ridge groove (311-1) formed by the first-1 ridge-forming projection, a first-2 ridge groove (311-2) formed by the first-2 ridge-forming projection, a second-1 ridge groove (312-1) formed by the second-1 ridge-forming projection, and a second-2 ridge groove formed by the second-2 ridge-forming projection as shown in FIG. 11.

[0199] Although the ridge-forming projection (340) is shown in the drawing as having a square cross-sectional shape, the ridge-forming projection can have various shapes such as an ellipse, a semicircle, or a polygon, so it is not limited to that.

[0200] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the attached drawings, those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention may be implemented in other specific forms without changing its technical concept or essential features. Therefore, the embodiments described above should be understood as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive.

[0201] In addition, the present invention is an invention that has industrial applicability as it is capable of improving wireless communication performance and reducing thickness and weight by connecting an antenna substrate and a package substrate with an interconnection member having a three-dimensional structure with slots.

Claims

1. Antenna substrate including an antenna; A package substrate including a signal transmission line that is coupled to a radio frequency integrated circuit chip and transmits a signal of the radio frequency integrated circuit chip; and An improved antenna module comprising an interconnection member positioned between the antenna substrate and the package substrate to connect the antenna substrate and the package substrate, and having a slot formed therein that corresponds to at least a portion of the passage through which a radio frequency signal transmitted between the signal transmission line and the antenna passes through the package substrate.

2. In Paragraph 1, An improved antenna module comprising a plurality of cavity shielding vias surrounding the cavity of the package substrate, wherein the package substrate is positioned to correspond to a passage passing through the package substrate and a cavity is formed to accommodate the slot.

3. In Paragraph 1, An improved antenna module in which the above slot is provided corresponding to the cavity specifications of the package substrate or corresponding to the specifications of a passage passing through the package substrate opposite to the package substrate.

4. In Paragraph 3, An improved antenna module in which the cross-sectional area, length, and material of the slot corresponding to the specifications of the passage passing through the package substrate are determined in correspondence with the wavelength of the radio frequency signal.

5. In Paragraph 1, The above package substrate is an improved antenna module comprising a second shielding portion disposed at the edge of the slot.

6. In Paragraph 5, An improved antenna module characterized by the fact that a plurality of the second shielding members are arranged to surround the slot to form a second radio frequency signal transmission member in the center.

7. In Paragraph 5, The second shielding member comprises a plurality of metal layers spaced apart from each other and a plurality of second shielding vias electrically connecting the metal layers. An improved antenna module characterized in that one of the selected metal layers among the plurality of metal layers is positioned to face the slot with the signal transmission line in between.

8. In Paragraph 1, The antenna substrate includes a first shielding portion disposed at the edge of the slot. Improved antenna module.

9. In Paragraph 8, An improved antenna module characterized by the fact that a plurality of the first shielding members are arranged to surround the slot, thereby forming a first radio frequency signal transmission member in the center.

10. In Paragraph 1, The above antenna substrate includes a first coupling portion positioned between the antenna and the slot to transmit the radio frequency signal, and An improved antenna module comprising a second coupling portion that transmits the radio frequency signal, wherein the above package substrate is positioned between the above radio frequency integrated circuit chip and the above slot.

11. In Paragraph 10, An improved antenna module characterized in that the first coupling part and the second coupling part are arranged so that their ends face each other with the slot in between.

12. In Paragraph 1, The above interconnection member is an improved antenna module comprising a trench space formed on the lower surface facing the package substrate.

13. In Paragraph 1, An improved antenna module characterized in that the interconnection member has an outer surface formed of a conductor and an interior formed of a heterogeneous material having a lower density than the conductor.

14. In Paragraph 1, An improved antenna module comprising a heat dissipation means coupled to one or more sides of the antenna substrate, the package substrate, and the interconnection member.

15. In Paragraph 1, The above interconnection member includes a first interconnection member coupled to the lower side of the antenna substrate and a second interconnection member coupled to the upper side of the package substrate. An improved antenna module characterized by having an alignment portion formed therein that aligns the first interconnect member and the second interconnect member to a position where they are connected to each other.

16. In Paragraph 1, An improved antenna module comprising an adhesive member disposed between the lower part of the interconnection member and the upper surface of the package substrate.

17. In Paragraph 1, The above interconnection member is an improved antenna module including a ridge-forming projection formed to protrude into the slot.

18. In Paragraph 17, An improved antenna module characterized by having a plurality of ridge-forming protrusions formed therein, wherein the plurality of formed ridge-forming protrusions have different sizes and shapes.

Images