Ball Attach Antenna Package for RF Isolation Without Warpage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The integration of antennas and RF circuitry in mobile devices leads to substrate warpage and manufacturing yield issues due to imbalanced copper density and thick dielectric layers, especially with the emergence of 5G frequency requirements, which complicates assembly and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
Decoupling the antenna and package substrate designs using a ball attach array (BGA) connection allows for separate fabrication and assembly, reducing warpage and assembly risks, and enabling more flexible antenna design and material selection, with options like copper core solder balls for consistent RF performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If antennas are integrated with RF circuitry using thick dielectric layers and alternating copper layers, then RF performance and isolation are improved, but substrate warpage and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the substrate into multiple layers: a base substrate layer and a separate antenna substrate layer. This segmentation allows each layer to be optimized independently - the base substrate for mechanical stability and the antenna substrate for RF performance, thereby reducing overall warpage while maintaining RF isolation.
Solution Approach 2:
The antenna structure is extracted from the traditional multi-layer copper substrate and placed on a separate antenna substrate. This extraction eliminates the need for thick alternating copper layers in the base substrate, reducing copper density imbalance and associated warpage issues while preserving RF performance.
2Reliability
If thick dielectric layers are used to isolate antenna layers, then RF isolation is improved, but substrate warpage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the dielectric isolation function into two parts: thin dielectric layers within the antenna substrate for RF isolation, and the separate antenna substrate itself providing mechanical isolation. This segmentation achieves the required isolation with thinner individual dielectric layers, reducing warpage.
3Ease of manufacture
If antennas are made from the same materials as package substrates, then fabrication is simplified, but heat dissipation becomes problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the antenna structure from the base substrate, allowing the antenna substrate to be made from materials optimized for heat dissipation (such as ceramic or metal-core PCB) while the base substrate maintains package material compatibility. This segmentation enables better thermal management without sacrificing fabrication ease.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach simplifies antenna packaging, reduces substrate fabrication warpage, and enhances manufacturing efficiency, allowing for quicker design upgrades and improved RF performance while maintaining cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
bonding a bottom surface of the antenna package to a top surface of the base package
Data Source
AI summary
In accordance with disclosed embodiments, there is an antenna package using a ball attach array to connect an antenna and base substrates of the package. One example is an RF module package including an RF antenna package having a stack material in between a top and a bottom antenna layer to form multiple antenna plane surfaces, a base package having alternating patterned conductive and dielectric layers to form routing through the base package, and a bond between a bottom surface of the antenna package and to a top surface of the base package.