Packaging and MMIC Design for Low Cost MM-Wave Modules

MM-wave subsystems have traditionally been produced in low volumes and at high cost due to circuit and substrate costs and limited repeatability of module manufacture. Advances in MMIC processing, packaging technologies and modelling techniques are potentially enabling mm-wave modules to be procured at reasonable cost. This paper summarises packaging and MMIC designs at QinetiQ above 60 GHz aimed at using low cost manufacturing techniques. By way of example two applications are considered; a mm-wave radio link at around 60 GHz and a 94 GHz receiver for imaging applications