MINIATURE ELECTRONIC COMPONENT FOR MICROWAVE APPLICATIONS

• US 20100038775A1
• Filed: 12/07/2005
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Monolithic Semiconductors S.A.S. (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: United Monolithic Semiconductors S.A.S. (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Vaudescal, Olivier, Quentin, Pierre, Camiade, Marc
• Granted Patent: US 8,624,373 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/728
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48465 the other connecting portion not on the bonding area being a wedge bond, i.e. ball-to-wedge, regular stitch
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/107 Hollow-waveguide/strip-line transitions

Abstract

The invention relates to a miniature microwave component having: a microwave chip (18, 60, 140) encapsulated in an individual package (61) for surface mounting. A metal base (80) mounts the chip in the package via its rear face. The base has an aperture (82). At least two access ports are provided for the communication of electrical signals between the inside and the outside of the package. A contactless microwave access port (62), by electromagnetic coupling at the aperture in the base, ensures transmission of coupling signals at a working frequency F₀. A subharmonic access port (110) via a contact, inputs, into the integrated circuit, a subharmonic frequency F₀/n of the working frequency F₀. The chip includes, among its electrical conductors, a coupling electrical conductor (96) connected to the electronic elements of the chip. The coupling conductor is placed at the contactless microwave access port (62) in order to transmit microwave signals by electromagnetic coupling at the working frequency F₀.

Claims

1. A miniature microwave component comprising:

an MMIC microwave chip encapsulated in an individual package for surface mounting, the chip having an active face, which includes electronic elements and electrical conductors on the active face, and, opposite the active face, a rear face which includes electrical conductors on the rear face and among these conductors on the rear face an electrical conductor forms a ground plane;

a metal base for mounting the chip in the package via its rear face, said base having an aperture; and

two access ports for the communication of electrical signals between the inside and the outside of the package, a contactless microwave access port, by electromagnetic coupling at the aperture in the base, ensuring transmission of coupling signals at a working frequency F₀, a subharmonic access port via a contact, for inputting, into the integrated circuit, a subharmonic frequency F₀/n of the working frequency F₀,

wherein the chip includes, among its electrical conductors, a coupling electrical conductor connected to the electronic elements of the chip, the coupling conductor being placed at the contactless microwave access port in order to transmit microwave signals by electromagnetic coupling at the working frequency F₀.

2. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the MMIC chip includes, on the side of one of its ends, a mounting zone on the metal base of the package and, on the side of another end, opposite the first, an electromagnetic transition zone at the electromagnetic coupling access port.

3. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the package includes a conducting cap placed a certain distance from the coupling conductor such that it establishes, above the contactless microwave access port, an electromagnetic short-circuit at the working frequency F₀, thus forming a wave reflector promoting transmission of this working frequency F₀ through the microwave access port.

4. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rear face of the chip, in the transition zone has no metallization in order to let the electromagnetic waves pass through via the contactless access port and in that the transition zone of the chip includes, on the active face, a coupling electrical conductor connected to a microstrip line of the chip formed by a conductor on the active face and a ground plane of the rear face.

5. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the package includes, on the metal base side, in addition to the electrical ground conductor, electrical contact pads for interconnecting the integrated circuit with other electronic components by means of an interconnection substrate.

6. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit includes other contact access ports intended to transmit, to the chip, the subharmonic frequency of the working frequency F₀, control signals, and supply voltages.

7. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the package is sealed by a molding, made of a dielectric, covering the active surface of the integrated circuit but exposing the surface for mounting the package, which surface includes the electrical mounting pads.

8. The component as claimed in claim 7, wherein the dielectric fills the contactless electromagnetic access port of the package.

9. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the space between the cap and the metal base contains a gas surrounding the component, for example air.

10. The component as claimed in either of claim 1, wherein the coupling conductor and a ground plane of the chip form a slot antenna promoting transmission of the working frequency through the contactless microwave access port.

11. The component as claimed in claim 10, wherein the MMIC chip includes, in the transition zone, on the rear face side of the chip, an electrical antenna conductor electrically connected to a microstrip line of the chip formed by a conductor on the active face and the ground plane of the rear face in the chip mounting zone, the electrical antenna conductor forming, with the ground plane of the chip mounting zone, a slot antenna at the transmit/receive working frequency F₀ of the integrated circuit.

12. The component as claimed in claim 10, wherein the electromagnetic coupling access port is produced by an aperture in the form of a slot in the metal base facing the slot antenna of the chip in the transition zone, the electrical connection between the electrical antenna conductor on the rear face of the chip and the electrical conductor on the active face of the microstrip line being produced by a plated-through hole.

13. The component as claimed in claim 10, wherein the package is sealed by a molding, made of a dielectric, covering the active face of the chip but leaving the package mounting surface free, the dielectric filling the metal slot in the base, directing the magnetic field toward the contactless access port.

14. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit includes frequency multiplication means necessary for switching the subharmonic frequency F₀/n to the working frequency F₀.

15. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein a microwave line connecting the coupling conductor in the transition zone of the chip is a coplanar-type line, and in this case, two electrical conductors on the active face of the chip, separated by a certain distance, form the microwave line.

16. The component as claimed in either of claim 2, wherein the coupling conductor and a ground plane of the chip form a slot antenna promoting transmission of the working frequency through the contactless microwave access port.

17. The component as claimed in claim 15, wherein the coupling conductor is the antenna conductor.