KR101144379B1 - Multi-band antenna switch mudule - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an antenna switch module for transmitting and receiving a multi-band signal, the multi-band antenna switch module according to the invention is a device integrated on the substrate through a semiconductor process, to protect the internal device from static electricity flowing through the antenna Antistatic part; A switching unit connected to an antenna terminal to separate a multi-band RF signal path and selectively transmit and receive the multi-band RF signal by switching; A filter unit connected to the switching unit, the filter unit including one or more band pass filters for filtering an RF signal of a corresponding band; And an electrode terminal part connected to the substrate from the switching part or the filter part.

According to the present invention, an RF IC chip such as a switching unit, including a passive component, can be integrated through a semiconductor process, thereby simplifying circuit configuration and increasing the degree of freedom in design, thereby complicating complex processes such as a surface mounting process or a bonding process. There is an effect that can be produced without the substrate module. In addition, the production cost of the communication module product can be reduced and the size can be minimized, and the operation characteristics of each component constituting the circuit can be improved.

Description

Multi-band antenna switch mudule

1 is a circuit block diagram schematically showing the components of an antenna switch module for processing a conventional multiband signal.

2 is a top view exemplarily illustrating a form in which a conventional antenna switch module for processing a multiband signal is mixed with an MLCC and a semiconductor chip;

3 is a circuit block diagram schematically showing the components of a multi-band antenna switch module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a top view exemplarily illustrating a form in which components of a multi-band antenna switch module according to an embodiment of the present invention are integrated through a semiconductor process on a substrate;

5 is a top view exemplarily illustrating a form in which a multi-band antenna switch module according to an embodiment of the present invention is packaged in chip scale.

6 is an enlarged side view illustrating a portion of an upper surface side of a substrate on which a multi-band antenna switch module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is configured.

7 is a side cross-sectional view of a substrate layer exemplarily illustrating a form in which a multi-band antenna switch module is integrated through a semiconductor process according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Description of the Related Art

100: multi-band antenna switch module 110: antenna

120: antistatic unit 130: switching unit

132: control logic circuit 132a: power stage

132b, 132c, and 132d: control voltage stage 134: switch circuit

140: filter part 142, 144: low pass filter

151: GSM Tx terminal 152: DCS / PCS Tx terminal

153: GSM Rx terminal 154: DCS Rx terminal

155: PCS Rx terminal

The present invention relates to a multi-band front-end module, and more particularly to an antenna switch module for transmitting and receiving a multi-band signal.

Currently, a mobile communication terminal having a multi-band antenna switch module that integrates a transmission / reception terminal processing a plurality of frequency bands into one module is widely used.

The multi-band antenna switch module can handle the Global Systems for Mobile communication (GSM) frequency band, the Digital Cellular Switch (DCS) frequency band, and the Personal Communication Service (PCS) frequency band. Is the same as

First, the GSM is widely used in other regions including Europe, and refers to a digital mobile communication system using a time division multiple access (TDMA) method.

In addition, the DCS is a technology for connecting to a call center and providing a communication service through a code division multiple access (CDMA) method or a time division multiple access (TDMA) method. The frequency signal of 1750 ~ 1910 MHz (Korean PCS (K-PCS) band includes 1750MHz ~ 1780MHz transmission band and 1840MHz ~ 1870MHz reception band, and US PCS (US-PCS) band has 1850MHz ~ 1910MHz transmission). Bands and 1930MHz-1990MHz).

1 is a circuit block diagram schematically showing the components of a multiband antenna switch module 10 for processing a conventional multiband signal.

Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional antenna switch module 10 includes a diplexer 12 largely connected to an antenna 11, two low pass filters (LPFs), and three SAW filters. , Three phase shifters 18, 19, and 20, and a plurality of passive elements. The antenna 11 transmits and receives a GSM signal, a PCS signal, or a DCS signal according to a service area, and the diplexer 12 ) Is connected to the antenna 11, the DCS / PCS processing stage 13 and the GSM processing stage 16 to separate and transmit the DCS / PCS signal and the GSM signal.

The first low pass filter of the DCS / PCS Tx processing stage 13 filters the DCS / PCS Tx signal and passes it to the diplexer 12, and the second low pass filter of the GSM Tx processing stage 16 The GSM Tx signal is filtered and transmitted to the diplexer 12.

The first saw filter of the DCS Rx processing stage 15 passes the DCS Rx signal among the signals separated by the diplexer 12, and the second saw filter of the PCS Rx processing stage 14 receives the Pass the PCS Rx signal. In addition, the third saw filter of the GSM Rx processing stage 17 passes the GSM Rx signal among the separated signals.

At this time, the first phase shifter 18 connected to the first low pass filter side, the second phase shifter 19 connected to the first saw filter side, and the third phase shifter 20 connected to the third saw filter side are different from each other. It suppresses the inflow of the frequency band signal or the reverse flow of the Tx signal to the Rx signal stage (or the reverse flow of the Rx signal to the Tx signal stage).

In addition, first and second choke coils are provided in front of the first low pass filter and the second low pass filter to block high frequency component signals passing through the low pass filters, respectively, First, second and third diodes are provided.

The power stages are combined on / off (combined) control to selectively open and close the transmit and receive signals of the desired frequency band by switching the first, second and third diodes (usually provided as a pin diode). (Determining the transmission / reception mode of the frequency band), for example, when the first power is turned on and the second and third power are turned off, the GSM Tx mode is turned on, the first power is turned off, and the second and third power are turned on. Is in DCS / PCS Tx mode. In addition, when all three power sources are turned off, the first, second and third saw filters all enter the reception mode.

Capacitors located at both ends of the diplexer block a DC component signal flowing back from the power supply terminal to the antenna.

Since the conventional antenna switch module 10 uses a plurality of passive element parts such as a diode and a phase shifter, the circuit configuration becomes complicated, and thus, a special multilayer substrate process such as low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) is used. Therefore, it is designed as a multilayer board type structure, and the overall size of the front end module is increased.

2 is a top view exemplarily illustrating a form in which a conventional antenna switch module 20 for processing a multi-band signal is mixed with a multi-layer ceramic chip (MLCC) and a semiconductor chip.

Referring to FIG. 2, a surface mount chip inductor 21 in the form of an MLCC, a chip capacitor 22, a low pass filter (LPF) 23, and a switch chip 24 in the form of a semiconductor die are illustrated. Ceramic or plastic substrates can be used.

The MLCC type component is mounted at a reference position on the substrate by a surface mounting process, and the semiconductor die type component is die bonded to the reference position on the substrate and then wire bonded with the bonding pad on the substrate. In addition, the components 21, 22, 23, and 24 and the input / output terminals 25 are connected through a metal pattern on the substrate surface or an energization pattern on the inner layer, via holes, and the like.

When the antenna switch module is configured in the multilayered printed circuit board, each device and the substrate must be manufactured separately through the MLCC process and the semiconductor process, and the devices must be assembled again through the surface mount process and the semiconductor process on the substrate. There is a problem that the production process is complicated, the cost is increased, making mass production difficult.

In addition, since the elements must be disposed and a space on the substrate for the energization connection must be secured, the layout design is not easy and there is a limit in minimizing the size of the antenna switch module.

In order to minimize the size of the antenna switch module, it is possible to place the passive element into the inner layer and simplify the semiconductor assembly process by using a ceramic-based multilayer process, but the number of mounting parts is increased and the number of layers for the passive element is increased. Miniaturization and thinning of modules become more difficult.

For these reasons, recently, the above-described inner layer disposition method of the passive element is not well utilized.

In addition, since the conventional antenna switch module is manufactured in a multilayer structure using passive component parts, a demanding tuning process is required when the design is changed, and a development period is lengthened, and the power terminals Vc1, Vc2, and Vc3 are turned on / off ( on / off) to separate the transmit and receive signals of the corresponding frequency band by switching the pin diodes, the power consumption of up to 10mA depending on the type of diode, the conventional antenna switch module is not suitable for low-power mobile communication terminal products there was.

Accordingly, the present invention integrates conventional active elements and passive elements onto a substrate through a semiconductor process, thereby simplifying the process, minimizing the size, and facilitating the design of arrangement of devices and electrodes. It is an object to provide an antenna switch module.

Multi-band antenna switch module according to the present invention is an element integrated on the substrate through a semiconductor process, the antistatic unit for protecting the internal element from the static electricity flowing through the antenna; A switching unit connected to an antenna terminal to separate a multi-band RF signal path and selectively transmit and receive the multi-band RF signal by switching; A filter unit connected to the switching unit, the filter unit including one or more band pass filters for filtering an RF signal of a corresponding band; And an electrode terminal part connected to the substrate from the switching part or the filter part.

In addition, the antistatic part, the switching part, and the filter part provided in the multi-band antenna switch module according to the present invention are devices integrated on a substrate through a Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) process or a High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) process. .

In addition, the electrode terminal portion provided in the multi-band antenna switch module according to the present invention is formed on the upper surface of the substrate, the electricity is prevented by the antistatic portion, the switching unit and the filter unit by the redistribution pattern.

In addition, the electrode terminal provided in the multi-band antenna switch module according to the present invention is formed through a chip scaled package (CSP) process.

In addition, the electrode terminal unit provided in the multi-band antenna switch module according to the present invention includes any one or more conducting means of the chip pad, solder joint pad, re-routing metal pattern.

The switching unit included in the multi-band antenna switch module according to the present invention includes an RF switching circuit and a control logic circuit, and the RF switching circuit and the control logic circuit are respectively integrated on the substrate through a semiconductor process.

Hereinafter, a multiband antenna switch module according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

3 is a circuit block diagram schematically showing the components of the multi-band antenna switch module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The multi-band antenna switch module 100 according to the present invention is composed of a circuit in which each component is integrated through a semiconductor process. First, the operation of the components will be described.

Referring to FIG. 3, the multi-band antenna switch module 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes an antistatic unit 120, a switching unit 130, a filter unit 140, and a terminal unit 150. The switching unit 130 is connected to the antenna 110.

The antenna 110 performs a function of transmitting and receiving an RF signal, in the embodiment of the present invention transmits and receives a multi-band RF signal of GSM, DCS, PCS.

The antistatic unit 120 isolates the electrostatic discharge current generated by an electrostatic discharge (ESD) current flowing from an antenna or a parasitic component present in a circuit to isolate the switching unit 130 from an electrostatic discharge phenomenon. Protect.

The antistatic unit 120 is connected between the switching unit 130 and the antenna 110, and consists of a series capacitor and a parallel inductor.

The switching unit 130 is connected to the antenna 110 through one line, and is connected to the GSM Tx terminal, the DCS / PCS Tx terminal, the GSM Rx terminal, the DCS Rx terminal, and the PCS Rx terminal through five lines.

In addition, the switching unit 130 includes a control logic (decoder) circuit 132 and a switch circuit 134. The control logic circuit 132 includes a power supply terminal (Vcc) 132a and a first control voltage terminal ( vctrl1) 132b, a second control voltage terminal (vctrl2) 132c, and a third control voltage terminal (vctrl3) 132d.

The power terminal 132a is a terminal to which the power of the switching unit 130 is input, and the control voltage terminals 132b, 132c, and 132d are terminals to which the control voltage of the switching operation is input.

A control voltage is applied through the three control voltage terminals 132b, 132c, and 132d, and the control logic circuit 132 selectively opens and closes the five signal paths through a combination (logical operation) of the applied control voltages. Let's do it.

The switch circuit 134 opens and closes the five signal paths under the control of the control logic circuit 132, and selectively energizes any one terminal of the antenna 110 and the five terminals.

Here, when the multi-band antenna switch module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is used in a mobile communication terminal, the switching unit 130 is a control unit (eg, DSP (Digital Signal Processor) of the mobile communication terminal) outside the module The control voltage) may be applied to the control voltage.

The terminal unit 150 includes a GSM Tx terminal 151, a DCS / PCS Tx terminal 152, a GSM Rx terminal 153, a DCS Rx terminal 154, and a PCS Rx terminal 155. Terminals 151, 152, 153, 154, and 155 are connected to an external GSM RF signal processor, a DCS RF signal processor, and a PCS RF signal processor (not shown). The switching unit 130 transmits the transmission signal transmitted from each RF signal processing stage to the antenna 110 and distributes the reception signal received from the antenna 110 to the corresponding RF signal processing stage.

The RF signal processing stage includes a driving amplifier, a power amplifier, a power detector, and a bandpass filter to match the impedance of the signal lost in the amplification section of the signal, and filter the signal so that the signal can be processed in the baseband region. Perform the function of amplification.

The filter unit 150 includes a low pass filter (LPF) 142 and 144 connected to the GSM Tx terminal 151 and the DCS / PCS Tx terminal 152.

The low pass filters 142 and 144 filter only frequency signals of a band corresponding to the GSM Tx signal and the DCS / PCS Tx signal among the multiband signals to the GSM Tx terminal 151 and the DCS / PCS Tx terminal 152. To pass.

4 is a top view exemplarily illustrating a form in which components of the multi-band antenna switch module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention are integrated on a substrate through a semiconductor process.

As shown in FIG. 4, the antistatic unit 120, the switching unit 130, the filter unit 140, and the terminal unit 150 are devices integrated on the substrate A through a semiconductor process, for example, the switching. The unit 130 may be provided as a single-pole five-throw (SP5T) RF IC switch chip having five signal paths.

The antistatic unit 120, the switching unit 130, the filter unit 140, and the terminal unit 150 may be formed of a substrate (eg, a Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) process or a semiconductor process such as a HEMT (High Electron Mobility Transistor) process). Complement MOS (CMOS) is a complementary integrated circuit configured to perform the function of a unit transistor by configuring two MOS transistors of P-channel type and N-channel type into one circuit. High power consumption enables high-speed circuit operation.

In CMOS, NMOS and PMOS gates are connected to each other, and they are used as input terminals, so that the drain of PMOS and the drain of NMOS are connected and used as output terminals.

First, the surface of the n-type silicon substrate is thinly oxidized, a nitride film is deposited thereon, and the remaining nitride film is etched while leaving a region of the transistor. Second, after etching the oxide film under the nitride film, a p-well is formed using a mask, and boron is implanted to adjust the threshold voltage of the n-channel. Third, after forming the field oxide layer, removing the nitride film and the oxide film and growing the thin oxide film again, a polycrystalline silicon film is deposited. Fourth, a polycrystalline gate film is modeled through a mask method, and a PMOS transistor is made. Fifth, phosphorus is implanted into an NMOS transistor in a p-well, an oxide layer is formed by chemical vapor deposition, and then a contact terminal is formed using a mask. Finally, aluminum is deposited on the entire surface of the wafer and a conductive pattern is formed using a mask.

In addition, HEMT is a field effect transistor (FET) using a two-dimensional electron gas generated in a heterojunction interface of a semiconductor bonded with gallium arsenide (AlGaAs) to which high concentration impurities are added. Such a metal compound semiconductor device has some characteristics not found in a silicon type semiconductor device.

Firstly, it is possible to realize a FET that operates at high speed utilizing the characteristics of the gallium arsenide device. Second, it is a multi-terminal semiconductor device that processes the microwave millimeter wave region from the S band to the K band, and has high frequency, low noise, and high output operation characteristics. Can be implemented.

The HEMT process forms a heterojunction using crystal growth techniques such as metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), which is a metal compound semiconductor manufacturing technique, and achieves high speed operation by using two-dimensional electron gas generated at the interface of the heterojunction. do.

The n-type heterojunction interface of gallium arsenide and high purity gallium arsenide has an energy band structure due to the difference in electron affinity, and uses electrons having high density and high mobility (5-6 times that of silicon) as carriers. The bias condition of the HEMT is almost the same as that of the low-noise gallium arsenide FET, and the noise figure is 0.6 kt at 12 GHz.

The antistatic unit 120, the switching unit 130, and the filter unit 140 implemented as described above are operated using a current of about 1/10 of a switch circuit implemented using a conventional pin diode, and the like. Therefore, it is possible to configure a low power front end module.

5 is a top view exemplarily illustrating a form in which a multi-band antenna switch module 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is packaged in chip scale.

According to Fig. 5, the antenna terminal 110a, three receiving terminals (PCS Rx terminal, DCS Rx terminal, GSM Rx terminal) 153, 154, 155, two transmitting terminals (DCS / PCS Tx terminal, GSM Tx terminal) (151, 152), three control voltage terminals (132b, 132c, 132d), and a plurality of ground terminals (denoted "G") are formed, the power terminal (inside) 132a) and the ground terminal G are formed.

6 is an enlarged side view illustrating a portion of an upper surface side of a substrate on which a multi-band antenna switch module 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is configured.

Referring to FIG. 6, a side structure in which the terminals are formed can be seen. The terminals are formed on an upper surface of a substrate through a chip scaled package (CSP) process, and the antistatic unit 120 and the switching unit 130 are integrated to the upper surface of the substrate. ), The elements constituting the filter unit 140 are electrically connected to each other through via holes.

The terminal unit 150 is provided with an electric current supply means such as a chip pad 160, a solder joint pad 173, a re-routing metal pattern 171 from the bottom in order to energize the elements on the upper surface side of the substrate The redistribution metal pattern 171 is a type of transmission path pattern connecting the solder joint pads 173.

In addition, a solder ball 172 for bonding is formed on the solder joint pad 173, and in particular, a radio wave is provided between the antenna terminal 110a, the transmission terminals 151 and 152, and the reception terminals 153, 154 and 155. Since interference may occur, a ground terminal G may be formed therebetween so that signal coupling does not occur between the terminals.

As such, by forming the elements constituting the circuit on the substrate through the semiconductor process, and chip-scale packaging, the layout design of the terminal portion is easy, and the multi-band antenna switch module according to the present invention can be flip chip bonding.

7 is a side cross-sectional view of a substrate layer exemplarily illustrating a form in which a multi-band antenna switch module 100 is integrated through a semiconductor process according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 7, the multi-band antenna switch module 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention may include a passive receiver region such as a NiCr resistor (b2) and a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor (b3) as an inner layer of the substrate. As an active element, a semiconductor element region b1 in which a metal semiconductor field effect transistor (ESFET) is formed is positioned, and above the metal connection layers (C) and metal layers (D, E, and F) used as conduction paths and inductors. It is formed layer by layer.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the substrate A has a thickness of 150 mm, the semiconductor element region b1 is about 0.6 μm, and the metal connection layer C and the metal layers D, E, and F are about 9 μm. The insulating layer G is formed on the entire surface or part of the metal layer regions D, E, and F.

As the substrate A, a compound semiconductor substrate such as Si or GaAs may be used, and as described above, the metal layers D, E, and F may be formed to a maximum thickness, and thus, a passive element having a high quality factor may be realized. Become.

The antistatic unit 120 may be implemented in the form of a junction diode of a transistor, the switching unit 130 may be implemented as a high speed integrated circuit, and the filter unit 140 may be a semiconductor integrated type such as an inductor and a capacitor. It is preferable to implement the passive element.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the antistatic unit 120, the switching unit 130, the filter unit 140, etc. are implemented in the form of a semiconductor device integrated through the CMOS method or the HEMT method to reduce the number of components of the passive device It can be dramatically reduced and all components can be placed and mounted on one substrate layer.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments, but, on the contrary, It will be understood that various modifications and applications other than those described above are possible. For example, each component specifically shown in the embodiments of the present invention can be modified and implemented. And differences relating to such modifications and applications will have to be construed as being included in the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims.

According to the multi-band antenna switch module according to the present invention, since the RF IC chip, such as the switching unit, including the passive components can be integrated through the semiconductor process, the circuit configuration can be simplified, and the design freedom can be increased to increase the surface mounting process. Alternatively, the substrate module may be manufactured without a complicated process such as a bonding process.

In addition, according to the present invention, it is possible to operate at a lower power as a smaller size, to reduce the production cost by using a semiconductor process, to minimize the size of the module product, and to improve the operating characteristics of each component constituting the circuit. have.

Claims (10)

A device integrated on a substrate through a semiconductor process, the device comprising: an antistatic unit protecting an internal device from static electricity flowing through an antenna; A switching unit connected to an antenna terminal to separate a multi-band RF signal path and selectively transmit and receive the multi-band RF signal by switching; A filter unit connected to the switching unit, the filter unit including one or more band pass filters for filtering an RF signal of a corresponding band; And An electrode terminal part connected to the substrate from the switching part or the filter part, The electrode terminal portion, The multi-band antenna switch module is formed on the upper surface of the substrate, and is energized by the antistatic part, the switching part and the filter part by a redistribution pattern. The method of claim 1, wherein the antistatic unit, the switching unit, the filter unit A multi-band antenna switch module, characterized in that the device is integrated on the substrate through a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) process or a HEMT (High Electron Mobility Transistor) process. The method of claim 1, wherein the switching unit SP5T (Single-Pole Five-Throw) RF switch circuit is provided with a multi-band antenna switch module. The method of claim 1, The RF signal is a signal including a global systems for mobile communication (GSM) signal, a digital cellular switch (DCS) signal, and a personal communication service (PCS) signal. The electrode terminal unit includes at least two or more electrode terminals of the GSM Rx terminal, GSM Tx terminal, DCS Rx terminal, PCS Rx terminal, DCS / PCS Tx terminal. The method of claim 4, wherein the filter unit And a low pass filter connected between the GSM Tx terminal or the DCS / PCS Tx terminal. delete The method of claim 1, wherein the electrode terminal portion Multi-band antenna switch module characterized in that formed through the Chip Scaled Package (CSP) process. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrode terminal portion A multi-band antenna switch module comprising a conducting means of at least one of a chip pad, a solder joint pad, a re-routing metal pattern. The method of claim 8, wherein the electrode terminal portion Multi-band antenna switch module characterized in that the solder solder ball is formed on the solder joint pad. The method of claim 1, wherein the switching unit And an RF switching circuit and a control logic circuit, wherein the RF switching circuit and the control logic circuit are respectively integrated on the substrate through a semiconductor process.

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