Patent Application
20240154300
The present disclosure relates to a system, and, in particular, a system including an integrated circuit package and a waveguide assembly. It also relates to an electronic device comprising said system.
A launcher in package configuration comprises one or more waveguide launchers or waveguide couplers integrated into a package comprising one or more integrated circuits. A waveguide may be used to route electromagnetic radiation to and/or from the waveguide launcher(s) or waveguide coupler(s).
According to a first aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a system comprising:
In one or more embodiments each of the plurality of launchers has a major dimension and a minor dimension, wherein the major dimension is larger than the minor dimension, and wherein each launcher and the opening of its respective one of the plurality of waveguides is arranged such that the major dimension of the opening is parallel to the major dimension of the launcher.
In one or more embodiments each of the plurality of launchers comprises a differential patch launcher and the major dimension comprises a length of the differential patch launcher and the minor dimension comprises a width of the differential patch launcher.
In one or more embodiments each opening of the first waveguide and the second waveguide has a rectangular cross section.
In one or more embodiments each opening of the first waveguide and the second waveguide has a rectangular cross section having rounded corners.
In one or more examples each opening of the first waveguide and the second waveguide has an oval cross section.
In one or more embodiments each opening of the first waveguide and the second waveguide has a dog-bone shaped cross section.
In one or more examples, the dog-bone shaped cross section may comprise an elongate shape having parallel sides in a middle section and at each end of the elongate shape a second section of greater width than the middle section.
In one or more embodiments the first waveguide is spaced apart from the second waveguide by at least a first predetermined distance comprising at least 1 mm.
In one or more embodiments the waveguide assembly comprises a substrate wherein the plurality of waveguides comprise channels that extend through the substrate.
In one or more embodiments the IC package is configured to provide for transmission of signalling via the first waveguide and receipt of signalling via the second waveguide, and wherein the first waveguide and its respective launcher and the second waveguide and its respective launcher are arranged on opposite sides of the waveguide assembly and IC package respectively.
In one or more embodiments the plurality of waveguides are configured such that:
In one or more embodiments each of the launchers comprise a differential patch launcher comprising a planar body having a slot therein extending from an outer edge along a line of symmetry of the planar body, wherein a differential microstrip line comprising a first line and a second line are coupled to the planar body at opposite sides of the slot.
In one or more embodiments at least one of the first line or the second line of the microstrip line comprises a compensation component configured to provide for common mode reduction.
In one or more examples the microstrip line is rotated about 90 degrees from the output of the IC die to the input to the launcher.
In one or more examples the compensation component is a balun.
In one or more embodiments the differential patch launcher is shaped such that a predetermined location on the differential patch launcher is at ground potential when in use and wherein the system comprises a detector coupled to said differential patch launcher at the predetermined location, wherein the detector is configured to detect current flow in said connection and, based on detection of said current flow, provide a signal.
In one or more embodiments the system includes an interface layer configured to extend between the surface of the waveguide assembly and the IC package, wherein the interface layer may comprise one of:
According to a second aspect of the present disclosure there is provided an electronic device comprising one of a telecommunication radio interface and a radar system, including the system.
In one or more examples, said IC package comprises one of: a bottom coupling flip-chip-chip-scale-package platform, FC-CSP; a top coupling flip-chip-chip-scale-package possum platform; and top or bottom coupling fan-out-wafer-level-package, FO-WLP.
According to a second aspect of the present disclosure there is provided an electronic device comprising one of a telecommunication radio interface and a radar system, such as an automotive radar system, including the system.
Thus, in an (e.g., automotive) radar system, the system may be configured to transmit the radar signals and/or receive the reflected radar signals via waveguides in the waveguide assembly. In a telecommunication radio interface, the package may be configured to send and/or receive signals to enable communication between a mobile telephone and a base station.
While the disclosure is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that other embodiments, beyond the particular embodiments described, are possible as well. All modifications, equivalents, and alternative embodiments falling within the spirit and scope of the appended claims are covered as well.
The above discussion is not intended to represent every example embodiment or every implementation within the scope of the current or future Claim sets. The figures and Detailed Description that follow also exemplify various example embodiments. Various example embodiments may be more completely understood in consideration of the following Detailed Description in connection with the accompanying Drawings.
One or more embodiments will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Examples of the present application relate to a launcher in package. A launcher in package comprises an integrated circuit package that includes an integrated circuit in a die as well as a launcher integrated within the package. In one or more examples, a further substrate may be provided within the package and the launcher may be located within the further substrate. In such an example, the launcher may be electrically coupled to the integrated circuit for the transmission and/or receipt of signalling.
In some examples, a plurality of launchers may be provided in the package. As the complexity of systems increase and there is further miniaturization/integration to realize improved performance and low-cost applications, interference between the signals transmitted/received by the launchers increases.
In one or more of the example embodiments described herein, the system is designed to provide improved isolation between waveguides that convey different RF channels whilst maintaining and preferably reducing the size of the overall launcher in package system.
Example
A launcher in package arrangement can provide for a number of advantages such as reducing the overall footprint as well as reducing the insertion loss from the package 106 to an antenna and vice versa. The launcher in package arrangement can enable effective use of substrate materials because the launchers can be formed in an appropriate substrate material while the integrated circuit die 122 may be of a different material and the substrates and integrated circuit die 122 are retained together in the package 106.
Thus, to summarise, the system 100 comprises the waveguide assembly 102 comprising a plurality of waveguides. There are at least two waveguides comprising at least a first waveguide 104A and a second waveguide 104D, although in this embodiment four waveguides are provided.
The waveguide assembly, in the present example, comprises a single substrate wherein the plurality of waveguides comprise channels that extend through the substrate.
The first waveguide 104A is aligned with the launcher 108A of the integrated circuit package 106 for one or more of transmitting signalling and receiving signalling therebetween. The second waveguide 104D is aligned with the launcher 108D of the integrated circuit package 106 for one or more of transmitting signalling and receiving signalling therebetween.
In the present example, the cross-sectional shape of the waveguides 104A-D may be configured to reduce interference between signalling conveyed in said waveguides. In particular, the waveguide assembly comprises a surface 110 configured to be coupled to a surface of the IC package so that the launchers 108A-D align with the respective waveguides 104A-D. Each of the plurality of waveguides comprise an opening 114A-D in the surface 110 configured to be aligned with its respective launcher.
Each of the openings 114A-D has a major dimension 202 and a minor dimension 204, wherein the major dimension is larger than the minor dimension. Thus, the openings are generally elongate.
The major dimension 202 of at least the opening 114A of the first waveguide 104A is oriented perpendicular to the major dimension 202 of the opening 114D of the second waveguide 104D. The orthogonal arrangement of the elongate waveguide openings may, in one or more examples, reduce interference between adjacent waveguides, which is advantageous.
The described embodiments may also allow for an increase in the number of waveguides (and therefore corresponding launchers in the package) for a given waveguide assembly 102 or allow the waveguide assembly to be further reduced in size for a given number of waveguides 104. This approach may also allow for more cost effective manufacturing by reducing the materials costs.
It will also be appreciated that the orthogonal arrangement provides for polarisation of adjacent communication channels thereby further reducing the amount of cross talk. Typically, the cross talk becomes more prominent as the separation between channels is decreased, whereas the use of the proposed arrangement can provide a reduced separation whilst maintaining an acceptable level of isolation. It will also be appreciated that in some arrangements, polarisation may be provided by the use of polarising antennas coupled to the output of the waveguide 104.
In one or more examples, the waveguide assembly 102 and the IC package 106 may include an interface layer 118 therebetween. Typically, the interface layer 118 is required to compensate for tolerances in manufacturing and positioning of the IC package 106 with respect to the waveguide assembly 102. Thus, the interface layer 118 allows for improved coupling between the launcher 108 in the IC package 106 and the respective waveguide 104 of the waveguide assembly 102. The improved coupling allows for improved RF performance, low insertion loss and better communication channel isolation.
The interface layer 118 in
The launcher elements 502 may have an elongate shape that is complementary to the waveguide opening with which they are associated. Thus, in one or more examples, each of the plurality of launchers 108A-D has a major dimension 302 and a minor dimension 304, wherein the major dimension 302 is larger than the minor dimension 304, and wherein each launcher 108A-D and the opening 114A-D of its respective one of the plurality of waveguides is arranged such that the major dimension 202 of the opening is parallel to the major dimension 302 of the launcher.
In one or more examples, each of the plurality of launchers 108A-D comprises a differential patch launcher shown in
With reference to
The cross-section of the openings and, in one or more embodiments, the cross-section of the waveguides throughout the substrate of the waveguide assembly 102, is elongate. In a first example, each of the opening of the waveguides has a rectangular cross section, as shown in
In a second example, shown in
In a third example, each of the openings of the waveguides has an oval cross section (not shown in the figures).
In a fourth example, shown in substrate 102B of
In one or more examples, the first waveguide 104A is spaced apart from the second waveguide 104D by at least a first predetermined distance 116, comprising at least 1 mm for low cost in some embodiments. In some examples the first predetermined distance may be at least 0.9 mm or at least 0.8 mm. In other examples the spacing may be more than 1 mm or less than 0.8 mm.
In one or more examples, the IC package (i.e. the circuitry of the integrated circuit die 122) is configured to provide for transmission of signalling via the first waveguide 104A and receipt of signalling via the second waveguide 104D. It may be advantageous in some examples to arrange the “transmission” waveguides and the “receive” waveguides at opposite sides of the waveguide assembly 102. Thus, the first waveguide 104A and its respective launcher 108A and the second waveguide 104D and its respective launcher 108D are arranged on opposite sides of the waveguide assembly 102 and IC package 106 respectively.
The arrangement of the plurality of waveguides in the waveguide assembly may be provided to reduce interference between the signalling conveyed by adjacent waveguides. The arrangement of adjacent waveguides such that their major dimensions are orthogonal may also reduce interference. Thus, orthogonally arranged waveguides may be closer together than non-orthogonally arranged waveguides for a given tolerated interference level.
Thus, in one or more examples, the plurality of waveguides are configured such that:
With reference to
It may be advantageous to detect electrical connection problems associated with the launchers within the package. In one or more examples, it has been found that electrical connection problems may disrupt the current distribution within the differential patch launcher. Therefore, a comparison of the current in the differential patch launcher relative to a threshold may be indicative of an electrical connection problem somewhere in the package.
In one or more examples, the differential patch launcher is shaped such that a predetermined location on the differential patch launcher is at ground potential when in use. In the example of
Example
Additional features of the disclosure will now be described.
In some examples the first waveguide is configured to convey a first communication channel and the second waveguide is configured to convey a second communication channel. In some examples of the system 100, the level of isolation required between channels differs based on the type of communication channel. For example, different levels of isolation may be required based on whether the first and second communication channels are either both transmit channels, or where they are both receive channels or whether they are a mix of one transmit and one receive channel.
In one or more examples, the first predetermined distance 116 between any two waveguides 104 of any two transmit channels or any two receive channels may correspond to a distance configured to provide an isolation of at least 35 dB between the two communication channels.
In a further example, where the two communication channels comprise one transmit channel and one receive channel, the first predetermined distance 116 between the waveguides 104 of the transmit channel and the receive channel may correspond to a distance configured to provide an isolation of at least 45 dB.
It will be appreciated that the isolation value may also be set based on the type of information being transmitted and as such the isolation between the channels may be higher than 35 dB or lower than 35 dB for the TX-TX or RX-RX arrangements and may be higher than 45 dB or lower than 45 dB for a TX-RX, RX-TX or TRX-TRX arrangement. In particular, uncoded or otherwise “simple information” that is more prone to errors during transmission may require a higher level of isolation whereas coded or data that is otherwise capable of being corrected may require lower levels of isolation.
It will be appreciated that the openings 114 may be the same cross sectional size and shape as the waveguide 104. In other examples, the openings 114A-D may be the same size or shape as the launcher 108A-D cross section.
In some examples, it will be appreciated that the level of isolation may be achieved without requiring the major dimension 202 of the first opening 114A and the major dimension 202 of the second opening 114B to be exactly 90 degrees to one another. In some examples an angle between the major dimensions greater than 45 degrees may be sufficient.
In some examples, the differential microstrip lines may need to turn through 90 degrees to enable one launcher to be orthogonal to another launcher. The routing of the microstrip lines may cause one microstrip line 528 to have a shorter electrical length than the other microstrip line 526. Thus, in one or more examples, one or more of the lines of the microstrip line 504 may include one or more phase delay components 530 comprising a balun coupled to the microstrip line 504 to maintain the required phase difference. In other examples, the one or more baluns may be configured to ensure that the microstrip line 504 operates such that the differential mode is dominant with respect to the common mode. In one or more examples the balun component may be used to maintain the field that is present at the beginning of the microstrip line (i.e., from the differential output at the output of the IC die 122) through to the end of the microstrip line (i.e. just prior to coupling to the launcher 502). In one or more examples the use of the balun component may ensure that a symmetrical field and current distribution is maintained about the line of symmetry 522 of the launcher 502. Thus, it is the use of the balun which maintains the differential input signal that allows for the virtual ground 525 on the launcher 502 to be established. This is due to the resulting symmetric field and current distribution that is set up in the launcher.
It will be appreciated that the balun component may only be required when the microstrip line 504 is rotated about 90 degrees from the output of the IC die 122 to the input to the launcher 502. When the output of the IC die 122 is parallel to the input of the launcher 502, a balun may not be required.
In some examples, the IC package 106 of the system 100 may also comprise one of a bottom coupling flip-chip-chip-scale-package platform (FC-CSP); a top coupling flip-chip-chip-scale-package possum platform; and top or bottom coupling fan-out-wafer-level-package (FO-WLP). It will be appreciated that a FC-CSP (die on top or die on bottom, “possum”) launcher substrate may be solder bumped and soldered to a substrate alongside an RF die 122 and interconnected through the FC substrate. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that a FO-WLP (e.g., eWLB) launcher substrate may be embedded within the IC package 106 alongside the IC die 122 and interconnected by a redistribution layer. Both FO-WLP and FC-CSP may allow the use of an area array die and therefore allow the use of a high I/O die which may have a small form factor and thus requires improved channel isolation.
It will be appreciated that any components said to be coupled may be coupled or connected either directly or indirectly. In the case of indirect coupling, additional components may be located between the two components that are said to be coupled.
In this specification, example embodiments have been presented in terms of a selected set of details. However, a person of ordinary skill in the art would understand that many other example embodiments may be practiced which include a different selected set of these details. It is intended that the following claims cover all possible example embodiments.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22205603.8 | Nov 2022 | EP | regional |
