Embedded RF passives technology using a combination of multilayer organic package substrate and silicon-based integrated passive devices

This paper discusses the embedding of small size radio frequency integrated passive devices (IPDs) inside the core layer of a multilayer organic package substrate. IPDs fabricated using a backend only silicon process were embedded inside the core of the package substrate to realize small form factor structures with very high tolerance while freeing up the surface of the package to enable 3D integration of multichip modules on the same package. Several individual and interconnected radio frequency (RF) filters and diplexers for Wireless LAN have been embedded and fully characterized up to 10 GHz. Full wave electromagnetic (EM) modeling and experimental characterization were used to evaluate the impact of the package environment on those embedded radio frequency components. The measured and modeled performance agreed very well in the frequency bands of interest.