Antenna using through-silicon via

• US 8,674,883 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2011
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Yen, Hsiao-Tsung, Lu, Jhe-Ching, Lin, Yu-Ling, Kuo, Chin-Wei, Jeng, Min-Chie
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, SEUNG H
• Application Number:
  US13/114,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20120299778A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS
• US Class Current: 343/700.MS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/39 Circuit design at the physical level physical level design for reconfigurable circuits G06F30/347
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6616 Vertical connections, e.g. vias
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6677 for antenna, e.g. antenna included within housing of semiconductor device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2225/06531 Non-galvanic coupling, e.g. capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2225/06541 Conductive via connections through the device, e.g. vertical interconnects, through silicon via [TSV]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2225/06548 Conductive via connections through the substrate, container, or encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/48 Arrangements for conducting electric current to or from the solid state body in operation, e.g. leads, terminal arrangements ; Selection of materials therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/481 Internal lead connections, e.g. via connections, feedthrough structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0657 Stacked arrangements of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/074 Stacked arrangements of non-apertured 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 2924/10253 Silicon [Si]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10272 Silicon Carbide [SiC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10329 Gallium arsenide [GaAs]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10333 Indium arsenide [InAs]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10335 Indium phosphide [InP]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1421 RF devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1461 MEMS
• 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 1/50 : Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/357 : using a single feed point
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0421 : with a shorting wall or a shorting pin at one end of the element H01Q9/0414 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0442 : with particular tuning means
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/145 : by varying the electrical length
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 : Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making

Abstract

An antenna includes a substrate and a top plate disposed over the substrate. At least one feed line is connected to the top plate, and each feed line comprises a first through-silicon via (TSV) structure passing through the substrate. At least one ground line is connected to the top plate, and each ground line comprises a second TSV structure passing through the substrate. The top plate is electrically conductive, and the at least one feed line is arranged to carry a radio frequency signal. The at least one ground line is arranged to be coupled to a ground.

Claims

1. An antenna comprising:

a substrate;

a top plate disposed over the substrate;

at least one feed line connected to the top plate, each feed line comprising a first through-silicon via (TSV) structure passing through the substrate; and

at least one ground line connected to the top plate, each ground line comprising a second TSV structure passing through the substrate,

wherein the top plate is electrically conductive, the at least one feed line is arranged to carry a radio frequency signal, and the at least one ground line is arranged to be coupled to a ground.

2. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the top plate comprises multiple metal layers.

3. The antenna of claim 1, further comprising a ground plate disposed below the substrate, wherein the ground plate is electrically conductive and coupled to the at least one ground line.

4. The antenna of claim 3, wherein the ground plate comprises multiple metal layers.

5. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the at least one ground line is disposed at an edge of the top plate.

6. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the at least one ground line is disposed close to a center of the top plate.

7. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the at least one ground line is arranged in an array or in a line.

8. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the at least one feed line is arranged in an array or in a line.

9. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the at least one feed line is coupled to another die stacked below the substrate in a 3-dimensional (3D) packaging using the first TSV structure.

10. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the at least one feed line is coupled to another die using a micro bond-wire.

11. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the top plate has a rectangular shape.

12. The antenna of claim 11, wherein the top plate has slots inside the rectangular shape.

13. A method of implementing an antenna comprising:

forming a first through-silicon via (TSV) through a substrate for a feed line of the antenna;

forming a second TSV through the substrate for a ground line of the antenna; and

forming a top plate of the antenna over the substrate, wherein the top plate is electrically conductive and connected to the first TSV and the second TSV.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising forming an isolation layer over the substrate prior to forming the top plate.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising forming a ground plate of the antenna under the substrate, wherein the ground plate is electrically conductive and connected to the second TSV.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising forming an isolation layer under the substrate prior to forming the ground plate.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising forming a third TSV through the substrate for the feed line of the antenna.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising forming a third TSV through the substrate for the ground line of the antenna.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising coupling the first TSV to another die stacked below the substrate in a 3-dimensional (3D) packaging.

20. An antenna comprising:

a substrate;

a top plate disposed over the substrate;

a ground plate disposed below the substrate;

at least one feed line connected to the top plate, each feed line comprising a first through-silicon via (TSV) structure passing through the substrate; and

at least one ground line connected to the top plate, each ground line comprising a second TSV structure passing through the substrate,

wherein the top plate is electrically conductive, the at least one feed line is arranged to carry a radio frequency signal, the at least one feed line is coupled to another die stacked below the substrate in a 3-dimensional (3D) packaging using the first TSV structure, and the at least one ground line is arranged to be coupled to the ground plate.