Thin-Film Filter Layout for High Power in a Compact Footprint
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Solution Overview
Problem
The miniaturization of high-frequency radio signal communication components has led to a decrease in power handling capacity, making it difficult to develop small, surface-mountable filters with high power handling capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A thin-film filter design featuring a monolithic substrate with a patterned conductive layer including thin-film inductors and a heat sink terminal, allowing for high power capacity while maintaining a compact footprint, with power handling capabilities exceeding 25 W and a footprint area less than 20 times larger than the exposed heat sink area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If miniaturization is applied to high-frequency radio signal communication components, then the size of the filter is reduced, but the power handling capacity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the filter by using a monolithic substrate with integrated thin-film inductors and a heat sink terminal, allowing the filter to maintain a compact size while achieving high power handling capacity through optimized thermal and electrical parameters
Solution Approach 2:
The filter employs a composite structure combining a monolithic substrate, patterned conductive layers forming thin-film inductors, and a heat sink terminal, creating a multi-material system that simultaneously achieves miniaturization and high power handling
2Area of stationary object
If the filter size is reduced for surface mounting, then the footprint area decreases, but the power handling capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from planar power dissipation to three-dimensional thermal management by incorporating a heat sink terminal that extends vertically, allowing the filter to handle high power within a small footprint area through vertical heat extraction pathways
3Power
If high power handling capacity is achieved, then the power capacity increases, but the heat dissipation becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts heat from the active circuit elements by providing a dedicated heat sink terminal that is thermally coupled to the monolithic substrate, separating the heat dissipation function from the signal processing function and enabling high power capacity without excessive temperature rise
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
The design achieves excellent power handling in a compact package, with power capacities up to 150 W and a high power-to-area ratio, enabling efficient heat dissipation and mounting on printed circuit boards with limited space.
Implementation Method 1
The thin-film filter may include a heat sink terminal exposed along the bottom surface of the thin-film filter. The heat sink terminal may have an exposed heat sink area.
Data Source
AI summary
A thin-film filter may include a monolithic substrate and a patterned conductive layer formed over the monolithic substrate. The patterned conductive layer may include at least one thin-film inductor. The thin-film filter may have a power capacity that is greater than about 25 W. In some embodiments, the thin-film inductor(s) may be connected between the input port and the output port. A heat sink terminal may be exposed along the bottom surface of thin-film filter. In some embodiments, the heat sink terminal may have an exposed heat sink area, and the bottom surface of the thin-film filter has an area that is less than 20 times larger than the exposed heat sink area.