A 79-GHz LTCC RF-frontend for short-range applications

Author

Wang, Xin ; Stelzer, Andreas

Author_Institution

Inst. for Commun. Eng. & RF-Syst., Johannes Kepler Univ. of Linz, Linz, Austria

fYear

2011

fDate

5-10 June 2011

Firstpage

1

Lastpage

4

Abstract

An RF-frontend based on low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) technology is presented in this paper. The frontend is designed for the 76 - 81 GHz frequency band, using high-permittivity material (ε_r = 7.4) and a 4-channel transceiver chip based on SiGe technology. A bond matching structure was designed with two-stage quarter-wavelength transformer, and a laminated waveguide (LWG) was chosen as transmission line in LTCC. A transition transfers energy from the differential microstrip lines into the LWG. An LWG-fed patch array antenna acts as transmit and receive antenna. A frequency-modulated continuous-wave radar sensor was built with the frontend in combination with a baseband board. The functionally of the RF-frontend was verified by distance measurements. This compact, low-cost LTCC frontend is suitable for short-range applications.

Keywords

Ge-Si alloys; ceramic packaging; microstrip antenna arrays; permittivity; radio transceivers; receiving antennas; transformers; transmitting antennas; waveguides; 4-channel transceiver chip; LTCC RF-frontend; LWG-fed patch array antenna; SiGe technology; bond matching structure; frequency 76 GHz to 81 GHz; frequency-modulated continuous-wave radar sensor; high-permittivity material; laminated waveguide; low temperature co-fired ceramic; quarter-wavelength transformer; receive antenna; short-range applications; transmit antenna; Antenna arrays; Arrays; Impedance; Radar; Radar antennas; Substrates; Wires; FMCW; ceramics; millimeter wave radar;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Microwave Symposium Digest (MTT), 2011 IEEE MTT-S International

Conference_Location

Baltimore, MD

ISSN

0149-645X

Print_ISBN

978-1-61284-754-2

Electronic_ISBN

0149-645X

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/MWSYM.2011.5972679

Filename

5972679