Microwave circuits in multilayer inorganic-organic polymer thin film technology on laminate substrates

Requirements of higher performance, reduced size, weight and cost of high-frequency (HF) devices has led to the search for new: materials, material combinations, methods, processes and production equipment. Efficient technologies for producing HF-circuits and integral passives are looked for. Also of interest are integrated packaging solutions for high frequency electrical packaging and optical interconnects and packaging. Sequentially build up multilayers have been deposited on a low cost FR-4 epoxy substrate. The dielectric layers consist of a photo-patternable inorganicorganic hybrid polymer (ORMOCER) and the metallization is Cu. An UV-exposure equipment enabling projection patterning with 5 (mu)m resolution have been used. The produced microstrip lines, ring resonators, vias, stacked capacitors and filters have been characterized at frequencies from 1 to 40 GHz showing the potential of the new dielectric materials and processing technologies for microwave applications.