Integrated circuit antenna structure

• US 7,893,878 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza (Reza)
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens; Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUONG, DIEU HIEN
• Application Number:
  US11/648,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20080158087A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,516 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/793, 343/895
• US Class Current: 343/700.0MS
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6627 Waveguides, e.g. microstrip line, strip line, coplanar line
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6677 for antenna, e.g. antenna included within housing of semiconductor device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2225/06527 Special adaptation of electrical connections, e.g. rewiring, engineering changes, pressure contacts, layout
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0655 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0657 Stacked arrangements of devices
• 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 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19033 being a coplanar line type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2283 mounted in or on the surface of a semiconductor substrate as a chip-type antenna or integrated with other components into an IC package
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/065 Microstrip dipole antennas patch antenna H01Q9/0407

Abstract

An integrated circuit (IC) antenna structure includes a die, a package substrate, an antenna element, a ground plane, and a transmission line. The antenna element is on the die and/or package substrate and has a length in the range of approximately 1¼ millimeters to 2½ millimeters. The ground plane has a surface area larger than a surface area of the antenna element. The transmission line is on the die and/or the package substrate and includes a first line and a second line, wherein at least the first line is electrically coupled to the antenna element.

Claims

1. An on-chip antenna structure comprises:

an antenna element disposed on a first layer of a die, wherein the antenna element has a length in the range of approximately 1¼

millimeters to 2½

millimeters;

a ground plane, having a surface area larger than a surface area of the antenna element, disposed on a portion of a surface of a second layer of the die, which surface is directly adjacent to the first layer, wherein the ground plane is substantially parallel to the antenna element from a first axial perspective and wherein the ground plane is substantially co-located to the antenna element from a second axial perspective; and

a pair of transmission lines disposed on the first layer of the die and substantially planar with the antenna element, wherein a first line of the pair of transmission lines and a second line of the pair of transmission lines are substantially parallel to each other, and wherein at least the first line is electrically coupled to the antenna element.

2. The on-chip antenna structure of claim 1, wherein the antenna element comprises at least one of:

a horizontal dipole antenna; and

a vertical dipole antenna.

3. The on-chip antenna structure of claim 1, wherein the antenna element comprises at least one of:

a plurality of infinitesimal antennas to provide a discrete antenna structure; and

a plurality of small antennas to provide the discrete antenna structure.

4. The on-chip antenna structure of claim 1, wherein the antenna element comprises:

at least one of a plurality of micro-strips to provide a continuous antenna structure.

5. The on-chip antenna structure of claim 1, wherein the antenna element comprises:

a first substantially enclosed metal trace on a first metal layer;

a second substantially enclosed metal trace on a second metal layer; and

a via coupling the first substantially enclosed metal trace to the second substantially enclosed metal trace to provide a helical antenna structure.

6. An on-package substrate antenna structure comprises:

an antenna element disposed on a first layer of a package substrate, wherein the antenna element has a length in the range of approximately 1¼

millimeters to 2½

millimeters;

a ground plane, having a surface area larger than a surface area of the antenna element, disposed on a portion of a surface of a second layer of the package substrate, which surface is directly adjacent to the first layer, wherein the ground plane is substantially parallel to the antenna element from a first axial perspective and wherein the ground plane is substantially co-located to the antenna element from a second axial perspective; and

a pair of transmission lines disposed on the first layer of the package substrate and substantially planar with the antenna element, wherein a first line of the pair of transmission lines and a second line of the pair of transmission lines are substantially parallel to each other, and wherein at least the first line is electrically coupled to the antenna element.

7. The on-package substrate antenna structure of claim 6, wherein the antenna element comprises at least one of:

a horizontal dipole antenna; and

a vertical dipole antenna.

8. The on-package substrate antenna structure of claim 6, wherein the antenna element comprises at least one of:

a plurality of infinitesimal antennas to provide a discrete antenna structure; and

a plurality of small antennas to provide the discrete antenna structure.

9. The on-package substrate antenna structure of claim 6, wherein the antenna element comprises:

at least one of a plurality of micro-strips to provide a continuous antenna structure.

10. The on-package substrate antenna structure of claim 6, wherein the antenna element comprises:

a first substantially enclosed metal trace on a first metal layer;

a second substantially enclosed metal trace on a second metal layer; and

a via coupling the first substantially enclosed metal trace to the second substantially enclosed metal trace to provide a helical antenna structure.

11. An integrated circuit (IC) antenna structure comprises:

a die;

a package substrate that supports the die;

an antenna element disposed on the die, wherein the antenna element has a length in the range of approximately 1¼

millimeters to 2½

millimeters;

a ground plane, having a surface area larger than a surface area of the antenna element disposed on a portion of a surface of the package substrate, which surface is directly adjacent to the die, wherein the ground plane is substantially parallel to the antenna element from a first axial perspective and wherein the ground plane is substantially co-located to the antenna element from a second axial perspective; and

a pair of transmission lines disposed on the die and substantially planar with the antenna element, wherein a first line of the pair of transmission lines and a second line of the pair of transmission lines are substantially parallel to each other, and wherein at least the first line is electrically coupled to the antenna element.

12. The IC antenna structure of claim 11, wherein the antenna element comprises at least one of:

a horizontal dipole antenna; and

a vertical dipole antenna.

13. The IC antenna structure of claim 11, wherein the antenna element comprises at least one of:

a plurality of infinitesimal antennas to provide a discrete antenna structure; and

a plurality of small antennas to provide the discrete antenna structure.

14. The IC antenna structure of claim 11, wherein the antenna element comprises:

at least one of a plurality of micro-strips to provide a continuous antenna structure.

15. The IC antenna structure of claim 11, wherein the antenna element comprises:

a first substantially enclosed metal trace on a first metal layer of the die;

a second substantially enclosed metal trace on a second metal layer of the die; and

a via coupling the first substantially enclosed metal trace to the second substantially enclosed metal trace to provide a helical antenna structure.

16. The IC antenna structure of claim 15, wherein the antenna element further comprises:

a third substantially enclosed metal trace on another metal layer of the die; and

an interconnecting via coupling the third substantially enclosed metal trace to the second substantially enclosed metal trace to provide a helical antenna structure.