High-Precision Flip-Chip Process Yields E-Band Harmonic Mixers with Potential Sub-10-dB Conversion Loss

Author

Stoneham, Edward B.

Author_Institution

Endwave Corp., Sunnyvale, CA

fYear

2006

fDate

10-15 Sept. 2006

Firstpage

506

Lastpage

509

Abstract

A process in which discrete semiconductor chips are flip-attached by thermocompression bonding to 30-micron-diameter gold bumps on fine-featured passive integrated circuits was employed in the fabrication of diode subharmonic mixers for use over the 71-76 GHz and 81-86 GHz ranges. Incorporated in the substrate were high-precision grounded heat sinks, semi-lumped filters, and matching networks in low-loss microstrip format. Measurements show conversion loss minima of 12 dB, but the frequency response was impaired by inaccuracies in the filter design. Parasitics characteristic of flip-chip technology were not an impediment, and a mixer technology with high performance and low materials cost appears feasible

Keywords

flip-chip devices; gold; heat sinks; integrated circuit bonding; lead bonding; millimetre wave integrated circuits; millimetre wave mixers; multichip modules; 12 dB; 71 to 76 GHz; 81 to 86 GHz; Au; E-band harmonic mixers; conversion loss; diode subharmonic mixers; discrete semiconductor chips; flip-chip process; frequency response; gold bumps; grounded heat sinks; matching networks; multichip modules; passive integrated circuits; semilumped filters; thermocompression bonding; Bonding; Fabrication; Gold; Heat sinks; Integrated circuit yield; Matched filters; Mixers; Power harmonic filters; Semiconductor diodes; Substrates; Millimeter wave mixers; flip-chip devices; frequency conversion; integrated circuit design; millimeter wave integrated circuits; multichip modules;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Microwave Conference, 2006. 36th European

Conference_Location

Manchester

Print_ISBN

2-9600551-6-0

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/EUMC.2006.281421

Filename

4057862