Package-Integrated Piezoelectric Delay Lines for Compact Signal Delay
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional delay lines require large circuits due to the fast speed of electromagnetic propagation, leading to bulky systems for achieving significant delays in high-speed digital signal processing applications.
Innovation Solution
Integration of piezoelectric materials within semiconductor package substrates to convert electrical signals into acoustic waves, which travel slower, allowing for compact and thinner delay lines without increasing substrate height, and enabling high-volume manufacturability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If traditional electrical transmission lines are used for delay lines, then the delay can be achieved, but the circuit area becomes relatively large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electrical transmission lines with acoustic wave transmission through piezoelectric materials. Acoustic waves travel much slower than electrical signals, enabling significantly longer delay times within the same physical distance. This substitution of transmission mechanism (from electrical to acoustic-mechanical) directly resolves the contradiction by achieving larger delay times without proportionally increasing circuit area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the propagation medium parameter from electrical conductors to piezoelectric acoustic waveguides. By utilizing the slower acoustic wave speed in piezoelectric materials compared to electrical signal speed, the system achieves extended delay times within compact dimensions, resolving the area-delay time tradeoff.
2Duration of action of moving object
If pulse shaping circuits are designed to significantly increase pulse duration, then dispersion compensation is achieved, but the circuit size becomes relatively large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional electrical pulse shaping circuits with acoustic wave propagation through piezoelectric delay lines. The acoustic waves naturally provide extended traversal time due to their slower speed, achieving pulse duration extension and dispersion compensation without requiring large-area complex circuitry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces piezoelectric materials as an intermediary medium that converts electrical signals to acoustic waves for delayed transmission, then converts them back. This intermediary acoustic transmission mechanism provides extended delay and pulse shaping functionality within a compact footprint, resolving the area-duration contradiction.
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 results in several orders of magnitude area reduction for the same time delay, achieving smaller and more cost-effective systems compared to traditional electrical transmission lines and LC delay lines.
Implementation Method 1
a first piezoelectric transducer receives an input electrical signal and generates an acoustic wave
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the invention include a waveguide structure that includes a first piezoelectric transducer that is positioned in proximity to a first end of a cavity of an organic substrate. The first piezoelectric transducer receives an input electrical signal and generates an acoustic wave to be transmitted with a transmission medium. A second piezoelectric transducer is positioned in proximity to a second end of the cavity. The second piezoelectric transducer receives the acoustic wave from the transmission medium and generates an output electrical signal.