LOOP ANTENNA

• US 20130021208A1
• Filed: 07/22/2011
• Published: 01/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Seok, Eunyoung, Ginsburg, Brian P., Haroun, Baher, Ramaswamy, Srinath, Rentala, Vijay B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,842,046 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/700.MS
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop

Abstract

A loop antenna is provided. The apparatus comprises a substrate, a first metallization layer, and a second metallization layer. The substrate has first and second feed terminals and a ground terminal. The first metallization layer is disposed over the substrate and includes a first window conductive region, a first conductive region, a second conductive region, and a third conductive region. The first conductive region is disposed over and is in electrical contact with the first feed terminal; it is also is substantially circular and located within the first window region. The second conductive region is disposed over and is in electrical contact with the second feed terminal; it is also substantially circular and is located within the first window region. The a third conductive region is disposed over and is in electrical contact with the ground terminal, and the third conductive region substantially surrounds the first window region. The second metallization layer is disposed over and is in electrical contact with the first, second, and third conductive regions of the first metallization layer, and the second metallization layer includes a second window region that is at least partially aligned with the first window region.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a substrate having a first feed terminal, a second feed terminal, and a ground terminal;

a first metallization layer disposed over the substrate, wherein the first metallization layer includes;

a first window region;

a first conductive region disposed over and in electrical contact with the first feed terminal, wherein first conductive region is substantially circular, and wherein the first conductive region is located within the first window region;

a second conductive region disposed over and in electrical contact with the second feed terminal, wherein the second conductive region is substantially circular, and wherein the first conductive region is located within the first window region; and

a third conductive region disposed over and in electrical contact with the ground terminal, wherein the third conductive region substantially surrounds the first window region; and

a second metallization layer disposed over and in electrical contact with the first, second, and third conductive regions of the first metallization layer, wherein the second metallization layer includes a second window region that is at least partially aligned with the first window region.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ground terminal further comprises a first ground terminal, and wherein the substrate has a second ground terminal, and wherein the first feed terminal, the second feed terminal, the first ground terminal, and the second ground terminal are substantially aligned.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first window region is substantially rectangular.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus further comprises:

a first via that extends between the first ground terminal and the third conductive region;

a second via that extends between the second ground terminal and the third conductive region;

a third via that extends between the first feed terminal and the first conductive region; and

a fourth via that extends between the second feed terminal and the second conductive region.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second metallization layer further comprises:

a fourth conductive region that substantially surrounds the second widow conductive region and that is in electrical contact with the third conductive region;

a fifth conductive region that bisects the second window region and that is electrical contact with the fourth conductive region;

a sixth conductive region that is disposed over the first conductive region, is generally coextensive with the first conductive region, and is in electrical contact with the first and fifth conductive regions; and

a seventh conductive region that is disposed over the second conductive region, is generally coextensive with the second conductive region, and is in electrical contact with the second and fifth conductive regions.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the apparatus further comprises:

a set of fifth vias that extends between the third and fourth conductive regions;

a sixth via that extends between the first and sixth conductive regions; and

a seventh via that extends between the second and seventh conductive regions.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first feed terminal, the second feed terminal, the first ground terminal, and the second ground terminal are bondpads.

8. An apparatus comprising:

an integrated circuit (IC) having;

radio frequency (RF) circuitry;

a first bondpad that is coupled to the RF circuitry;

a second bondpad that is coupled to the RF circuitry; and

a third bondpad that is coupled to the RF circuitry and that is coupled to ground;

an antenna package having;

a substrate;

a fourth bondpad that is located in the substrate and that is in electrical contact with the first bondpad;

a fifth bondpad that is located in the substrate and that is in electrical contact with the second bondpad;

a sixth bondpad that is located in the substrate and that is in electrical contact with the third bondpad;

a first metallization layer disposed over the substrate, wherein the first metallization layer includes;

a first window region;

a first conductive region disposed over and in electrical contact with the fourth bondpad, wherein first conductive region is substantially circular, and wherein the first conductive region is located within the first window region;

a second conductive region disposed over and in electrical contact with the fifth bondpad, wherein the second conductive region is substantially circular, and wherein the first conductive region is located within the first window region; and

a third conductive region disposed over and in electrical contact with the sixth bondpad, wherein the third conductive region substantially surrounds the first window region; and

a second metallization layer disposed over and in electrical contact with the first, second, and third conductive regions of the first metallization layer, wherein the second metallization layer includes a second window region that is at least partially aligned with the first window region.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein antenna package further comprises a seventh bondpad, and wherein the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh bond pads are substantially aligned, and wherein the IC further comprises an eighth bondpad that is coupled to the RF circuitry and that is coupled to ground, and wherein the seventh bondpad is in electrical contact with the eighth bondpad.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first window region is substantially rectangular.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus further comprises:

a first via that extends between the sixth bondpad and the third conductive region;

a second via that extends between the seventh bondpad and the third conductive region;

a third via that extends between the fourth bondpad and the first conductive region; and

a fourth via that extends between the fifth bondpad and the second conductive region.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second metallization layer further comprises:

a fourth conductive region that substantially surrounds the second widow conductive region and that is in electrical contact with the third conductive region;

a fifth conductive region that bisects the second window conductive region and that is electrical contact with the fourth conductive region;

a sixth conductive region that is disposed over the first conductive region, is generally coextensive with the first conductive region, and is in electrical contact with the first and fifth conductive regions; and

a seventh conductive region that is disposed over the second conductive region, is generally coextensive with the second conductive region, and is in electrical contact with the second and fifth conductive regions.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus further comprises:

a set of fifth vias that extends between the third and fourth conductive regions;

a sixth via that extends between the first and sixth conductive regions; and

a seventh via that extends between the second and seventh conductive regions.

14. An apparatus comprising:

an integrated circuit (IC) having;

a plurality of RF transceivers;

a plurality of sets of bondpads, wherein each set of bondpads is associated with at least one of the RF transceivers, and wherein each set of bondpads includes;

a first bondpad that is coupled to its associated RF transceiver;

a second bondpad that is coupled to its associated RF transceiver;

a third bondpad that is coupled to its associated RF transceiver and that is coupled to ground; and

a fourth bondpad that is coupled to its associated RF transceiver and that is coupled to ground;

an antenna package having;

a substrate;

an array of antenna, wherein each antenna is associated with at least of the RF transceivers, and wherein each antenna includes;

a fifth bondpad that is located in the substrate and that is in electrical contact with its associated first bondpad;

a sixth bondpad that is located in the substrate and that is in electrical contact with its associated second bondpad;

a seventh bondpad that is located in the substrate and that is in electrical contact with its associated third bondpad;

an eighth bondpad that is located in the substrate and that is in electrical contact with its associated third bondpad, wherein the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eight bondpads are substantially aligned;

a first metallization layer disposed over the substrate, wherein the first metallization layer includes;

a first window region;

a first conductive region disposed over and in electrical contact with the fifth bondpad, wherein first conductive region is substantially circular, and wherein the first conductive region is located within the first window region;

a second conductive region disposed over and in electrical contact with the sixth bondpad, wherein the second conductive region is substantially circular, and wherein the first conductive region is located within the first window region; and

a third conductive region disposed over and in electrical contact with the seventh and eighth bondpads, wherein the third conductive region substantially surrounds the first window region; and

a second metallization layer disposed over and in electrical contact with the first, second, and third conductive regions of the first metallization layer, wherein the second metallization layer includes a second window region that is at least partially aligned with the first window region; and

a high impedance surface (HIS) disposed on the substrate and substantially surrounding the array of antennas.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first window region is substantially rectangular.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus further comprises:

a first via that extends between the seventh bondpad and the third conductive region;

a second via that extends between the eighth bondpad and the third conductive region;

a third via that extends between the fifth bondpad and the first conductive region; and

a fourth via that extends between the sixth bondpad and the second conductive region.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the second metallization layer further comprises:

a fourth conductive region that substantially surrounds the second widow conductive region and that is in electrical contact with the third conductive region;

a fifth conductive region that bisects the second window conductive region and that is electrical contact with the fourth conductive region;

a sixth conductive region that is disposed over the first conductive region, is generally coextensive with the first conductive region, and is in electrical contact with the first and fifth conductive regions; and

a seventh conductive region that is disposed over the second conductive region, is generally coextensive with the second conductive region, and is in electrical contact with the second and fifth conductive regions.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the apparatus further comprises:

a set of fifth vias that extends between the third and fourth conductive regions;

a sixth via that extends between the first and sixth conductive regions; and

a seventh via that extends between the second and seventh conductive regions.