Packaged electronic components for applications at millimetric frequencies

• US 20060097818A1
• Filed: 11/18/2003
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Monolithic Semiconductors S.A.S. (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: United Monolithic Semiconductors S.A.S. (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Domnesque, Denis, Beilenhoff, Klaus, Camiade, Marc
• Granted Patent: US 7,388,450 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 333/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• 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 millimetric packaged electronic components for applications at high frequencies greater than 45 GHz. According to the invention, to facilitate the design of a system including MMIC chips working at these frequencies, it is proposed to use packages containing one or more chips, these packages making it possible to work at these frequencies and including two types of port: a port with transition by contactless electromagnetic coupling providing a connection with an antenna at the high working frequency F via a waveguide; and a port with microstrip or coaxial line type transition enabling a connection at a subharmonic frequency F/N (preferably N=6 or 4 or, if necessary, 3) of the working frequency.

Claims

1. An electronic component mounted in an individual package and intended to be connected to other components of an electronic system, said electronic component comprising:

an integrated circuit chip working around a main millimetric frequency F greater than 45 GHz, wherein said package has at least two ports for communicating electrical signals between the interior and the exterior of said package, the first port being a port with transition by contactless electromagnetic coupling for the transmission of signals at the main working frequency greater than 45 GHz, and the second port being a port with microstrip or coaxial type transition for the transmission of a working frequency F/N that is a subharmonic of the main frequency F.

2. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the package is provided with a conductive cover positioned at a distance from the first port such that it sets up, above this port, an electromagnetic short circuit at the main working frequency, thus forming a wave reflector facilitating the transmission of this frequency through the first port.

3. The component as claimed in claim 2, wherein the conductive cover is at a height above the port equal to a quarter of the wavelength, or an odd multiple of the quarter of the wavelength of the working frequency.

4. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the chips included in said package comprises means of multiplying frequency in a ratio N to change from the subharmonic frequency to the main working frequency.

5. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein it comprising a ceramic substrate, a first metallized side of which is etched to form a microstrip line having a free end and another side of which is also metallized to form a ground plane, the ground plane being interrupted facing the free end, to provide contactless electromagnetic coupling between the outside and the inside of the package via the line end.

6. The component as claimed in claim 5, wherein the conductive cover is at a height above the free end of the microstrip line equal to a quarter of the wavelength, or an odd multiple of a quarter of the wavelength of the working frequency.

7. The component as claimed in claim 5, wherein it includes a metallic base open facing the microstrip line end.

8. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein it includes one or more MMIC chips fixed on a base, one of the chips including a microstrip line, of which one free end is used as a contactless electromagnetic transition, this chip extending over an opening in the base so that the free end of the line is located in line with the opening, in order to form a contactless electromagnetic transition through this opening.

9. The component as claimed in claim 2, wherein one of the chips included in said package comprises means of multiplying frequency in a ratio N to change from the subharmonic frequency to the main working frequency.

10. The component as claimed in claim 3, wherein one of the chips included in said package comprises means of multiplying frequency in a ratio N to change from the subharmonic frequency to the main working frequency.

11. The component as claimed in claim 2, wherein it comprising a ceramic substrate, a first metallized side of which is etched to form a microstrip line having a free end and another side of which is also metallized to form a ground plane, the ground plane being interrupted facing the free end, to provide contactless electromagnetic coupling between the outside and the inside of the package via the line end.

12. The component as claimed in claim 3, wherein it comprising a ceramic substrate, a first metallized side of which is etched to form a microstrip line having a free end and another side of which is also metallized to form a ground plane, the ground plane being interrupted facing the free end, to provide contactless electromagnetic coupling between the outside and the inside of the package via the line end.

13. The component as claimed in claim 4, wherein it comprising a ceramic substrate, a first metallized side of which is etched to form a microstrip line having a free end and another side of which is also metallized to form a ground plane, the ground plane being interrupted facing the free end, to provide contactless electromagnetic coupling between the outside and the inside of the package via the line end.

14. The component as claimed in claim 6, wherein it includes a metallic base open facing the microstrip line end.

15. The component as claimed in claim 2, wherein it includes one or more MMIC chips fixed on a base, one of the chips including a microstrip line, of which one free end is used as a contactless electromagnetic transition, this chip extending over an opening in the base so that the free end of the line is located in line with the opening, in order to form a contactless electromagnetic transition through this opening.

16. The component as claimed in claim 3, wherein it includes one or more MMIC chips fixed on a base, one of the chips including a microstrip line, of which one free end is used as a contactless electromagnetic transition, this chip extending over an opening in the base so that the free end of the line is located in line with the opening, in order to form a contactless electromagnetic transition through this opening.

17. The component as claimed in claim 4, wherein it includes one or more MMIC chips fixed on a base, one of the chips including a microstrip line, of which one free end is used as a contactless electromagnetic transition, this chip extending over an opening in the base so that the free end of the line is located in line with the opening, in order to form a contactless electromagnetic transition through this opening.