WO2003069722A1 - Structure ceramique multicouche co-cuite comprenant un composant a micro-ondes - Google Patents

Structure ceramique multicouche co-cuite comprenant un composant a micro-ondes Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2003069722A1
WO2003069722A1 PCT/SE2003/000226 SE0300226W WO03069722A1 WO 2003069722 A1 WO2003069722 A1 WO 2003069722A1 SE 0300226 W SE0300226 W SE 0300226W WO 03069722 A1 WO03069722 A1 WO 03069722A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
film
circuit
ferroelectric
cofired
layers
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/SE2003/000226
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Hans GRÖNQVIST
Marino POPPÉ
Original Assignee
Saab Ericsson Space Ab
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Saab Ericsson Space Ab filed Critical Saab Ericsson Space Ab
Priority to AU2003206342A priority Critical patent/AU2003206342A1/en
Publication of WO2003069722A1 publication Critical patent/WO2003069722A1/fr

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L22/00—Testing or measuring during manufacture or treatment; Reliability measurements, i.e. testing of parts without further processing to modify the parts as such; Structural arrangements therefor
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/02—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/04—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof the devices having potential barriers, e.g. a PN junction, depletion layer or carrier concentration layer
    • H01L21/48—Manufacture or treatment of parts, e.g. containers, prior to assembly of the devices, using processes not provided for in a single one of the subgroups H01L21/06 - H01L21/326
    • H01L21/4814—Conductive parts
    • H01L21/4846—Leads on or in insulating or insulated substrates, e.g. metallisation
    • H01L21/4867—Applying pastes or inks, e.g. screen printing
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01P—WAVEGUIDES; RESONATORS, LINES, OR OTHER DEVICES OF THE WAVEGUIDE TYPE
    • H01P1/00—Auxiliary devices
    • H01P1/32—Non-reciprocal transmission devices
    • H01P1/38—Circulators
    • H01P1/383—Junction circulators, e.g. Y-circulators
    • H01P1/387—Strip line circulators
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01P—WAVEGUIDES; RESONATORS, LINES, OR OTHER DEVICES OF THE WAVEGUIDE TYPE
    • H01P11/00—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing waveguides or resonators, lines, or other devices of the waveguide type
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L2924/00—Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
    • H01L2924/0001—Technical content checked by a classifier
    • H01L2924/0002—Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to microelectronics, and more particularly to a cofired multi-layer ceramic structure incorporating a microwave component, in particular a circulator composed of a ferrite film.
  • the invention concerns an integrated circuit comprising a cofired assembly of a plurality of layers of a dielectric carrier of circuit elements, a film including a material having ferroelectric and ferromagnetic properties incorporated in at least one of said dielectric carrier layer(s), which film is interiorly positioned within the cofired assembly.
  • Low temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) process technologies are routinely performed to incorporate passive components in a multi-layer substrate that is sintered to form a cohesive structure.
  • Ceramic tape is formed by mixing ceramic powders with organic binders and processing the mixture into a thin tape that is commonly referred to as "green tape” in its unfired state. Multiple sheets of this ceramic green tape are printed with passive components consisting of metallized circuit patterns, and these sheets are arranged in layers that are electrically vertically interconnected by conductive vias. The layers are subsequently assembled, laminated, and cofired at a relatively low temperature (less than 1000°C). Cofiring "sinters" the substrate layers thereby creating a monolithic integrated circuit.
  • the low temperature sintering used in LTCC processes enables the incorporation of components made from highly conductive materials such as silver (Ag), gold (Au), copper (Cu), silver-palladium (Ag-Pd), and platinum-gold (Pt-Au), rather than the less conductive materials such as tungsten (W) and molybdenum (Mo) that must be used in high temperature cofired ceramic (HTCC) applications.
  • highly conductive materials such as silver (Ag), gold (Au), copper (Cu), silver-palladium (Ag-Pd), and platinum-gold (Pt-Au)
  • W tungsten
  • Mo molybdenum
  • a ceramic packaging is used for instance such as a Microwave Integrated Circuit (MIC).
  • MIC Microwave Integrated Circuit
  • electrical performance must often be weighed against physical constraints imposed by MIC manufacturing and component insertion methodologies.
  • a circulator is a multi-port component that permits radio frequency (RF) to flow in one direction between adjacent ports.
  • RF radio frequency
  • This is one application for ferrite components.
  • Other applications include phase shifters, limiters, duplexers, switches, modulators, T/R modules, attenuators and dampers.
  • An example of a typical junction circulator 10 is shown in Figure 1, and consists of three ports 12 that form a symmetrical Y intersecting at a junction disk 14 that is coupled to a magnet 16.
  • Microwave energy 18 can flow in one direction only, for example from port A to B, B to C, and from C to A.
  • the component is referred to as an isolator.
  • the magnet included in a typical circulator increases the thickness of the device substantially. Therefore, to append a circulator or isolator to a ceramic package, the typical circulator is "dropped in” and secured mechanically (by a flange or through-hole mounting process) after the sintering step. Electrical connections are established by soldering connecting means such as leads from the drop-in component to leads attached to previously printed metallized components such as conductors, resistors, and capacitors.
  • soldering connecting means such as leads from the drop-in component to leads attached to previously printed metallized components such as conductors, resistors, and capacitors.
  • drop-in components are expensive and procurement is somewhat time-consuming because the components are difficult to specify and suppliers typically require relatively long lead times.
  • the drop-in process requires an extra trimming step that produces waste and slows processing time. Performance and yield are also suboptimal because soldering electrical connections increases the risk of circuit failure, and increased spacing is required between components.
  • CPW launches are also widely used to integrate planar components in MIC designs. CPW approaches disadvantageously require a high degree of mechanical complexity or an electrically large substrate size, making integration in broadband MIC applications difficult. As may be appreciated from this description of current techniques for including such components in an integrated circuit package, there is a need for an improved, more efficient, and less expensive system and a better method of incorporating circulators and similar devices in monolithic circuit structures.
  • US 5,065,275 discloses less relevant techniques, such as US 5,065,275, describing electrically isolated dielectrics to be used as integrated capacitors in densely packed PCBs.
  • US 5,277,725 provides for production of ceramic housing incorporating material with low epsilon. Similar thoughts are also found in, e.g. EP 507 719 Al and WO 93/01928.
  • a ferromagnetic material in ink or tape form is sinterable using a same firing profile as and has approximately the same thermal shrinkage characteristics as low-temperature-cofired-ceramic (LTCC) tape, and is chemically non-reactive therewith.
  • LTCC low-temperature-cofired-ceramic
  • the ferromagnetic material is applied to the surfaces of LTCC tape sheets to form desired elements such as cores for inductors and transformers and magnetic shields.
  • Ferromagnetic vertical interconnects vias
  • the tape sheets and ferromagnetic elements are laminated together and cofired to form an integral structure.
  • Ferromagnetic and non-magnetic components can be fabricated separately and inserted into cavities in tape sheets prior to cofiring.
  • a multi-layer transformer includes primary and secondary coils, each being formed of vertically aligned, arcuate conductors which are printed on separate tape sheets and vertically interconnected at their ends to form continuous electrical paths therethrough.
  • this invention relates to method of producing a transformer.
  • a LTCC layer is provided with a conductive structure and enclosed between a ferromagnetik layers. Consequently, this invention differs from the present invention in structure and object.
  • a high-frequency use non-reciprocal circuit is disclosed in the
  • the circuit includes a sintered body, which is a high-frequency use magnetic body obtained by a ceramic lamination/integral firing technique, a plurality of central electrodes, which are arranged in the sintered body to be separated from each other through a magnetic layer while intersecting with each other at central portions. Electrodes are arranged for deriving impedance- matching capacitance formed in the vicinity of the intersecting portion to be in series with the central electrodes.
  • the magnetic layer provided between the central electrodes serves as an insulating layer for electrically insulating the central electrodes from each other, a high-frequency use magnetic layer, and a material layer for deriving the impedance-matching capacitance.
  • the present invention fulfills the needs described above by providing a system and method of incorporating microwave components into a cofired or ferrit circuit structure during the sintering step thereby avoiding previously required separate steps to mechanically secure the component to the circuit structure. This also provides better performance, greater component yield, and a more compact and reliable construction.
  • the film including a material having ferroelectric and ferromagnetic properties further comprises a metallized circuit pattern, being protectively encapsulated within the cofired assembly.
  • the present invention concerns integrating a circulator component consisting of a ferroelectric/ferromagnetic film upon which a circuit pattern is printed and that is incorporated as a layer, or portion of a layer, that is sintered in a process, such as an LTCC process, along with all other ceramic layers of an integrated circuit.
  • An exemplary embodiment of the present invention takes the form of a microwave integrated circuit (MIC) that includes a cofired assembly of multiple layers of a dielectric tape that serves as a carrier for circuit elements and that incorporates and interiorly positions a film including a material that has ferroelectric and ferromagnetic properties in at least one of the dielectric tape layers.
  • MIC microwave integrated circuit
  • each layer Prior to cofiring, each layer is electrically connected to the other layer(s) by means of holes made through the layers, commonly referred to as "vias", which are subsequently filled with a conductive material.
  • the ferrite film at least partly, includes at least one circuit element that is configured to perform a faraday rotation of a microwave signal.
  • the circuit element includes a metallized circuit pattern that is screen printed on the film.
  • the circuit pattern in combination with the properties of the ferrite material, can define several different types of components that rely upon a faraday rotation to manipulate a microwave signal such as isolators, phase shifters, limiters, or dampers. Furthermore, several circulators can be joined together to increase the number of available ports.
  • the dielectric layers form a multi-layer substrate, each layer of which may contain screen printed circuit components, in which at least one layer includes the ferrite film and thus at least one circuit element configured to perform a faraday rotation of a microwave signal.
  • the ferrite film can make up a portion of a non-ferrite layer, or an entire layer of the substrate can be formed of the ferrite film. After assembly of the multi-layer substrate, the layers are cofired together in a process that sinters the layers to form a monolithic structure, thereby protectively encapsulating the ferrite film and metallized circuit pattern within the cofired assembly.
  • the multi-layer substrate each layer composed of a dielectric material upon which circuit components are printed, the layers being configured to be assembled and cofired together, includes multiple adjacent ferrite layers that together form a circuit element that is configured to perform a faraday rotation of a microwave signal.
  • the present invention also includes a method of manufacturing an integrated circuit that consists of an assembly of a multiple layers of a dielectric carrier, in which each layer can be impregnated with circuit elements and electrically connected to the other layers by vias. At least one of the layers includes a film having ferroelectric and/or ferromagnetic properties.
  • a circuit metallization pattern is screen printed on the ferrite film to form a circuit element and associated conductors that perform a faraday rotation of a microwave signal.
  • the layers are then assembled and sintered together according to an LTCC process, thereby forming an integrated circuit.
  • the ferrite film and circuit metallization pattern are protectively encapsulated within the cofired assembly. Any excess material is trimmed from the integrated circuit.
  • the system and method of the present invention can be implemented in a process, preferably a cofiring process and most preferably in LTCC, HTCC or similar processes.
  • material used for non-ferrite layers may comprise any material suitable for carrying out the aforementioned process, such as ceramics or compositions thereof.
  • the ferrite film preferably includes a grain-oriented ferrite, with crystal axes aligned predominately in the same direction so as to create a permanent ceramic magnet.
  • Figure 1 is an illustration of a typical circulator
  • Figure 2 is an illustration of a layer of ferrite that is configured as at least one circulator according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention
  • Figure 3 is an exploded view of the layers of an integrated circuit that includes a ferrite film configured as at least one circulator according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention
  • Figure 4 is an illustration of the assembled layers of an integrated circuit that includes a ferrite film configured as at least one circulator, wherein the ferrite film composes an entire layer of the integrated circuit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention
  • Figure 5 is an illustration of the assembled layers of an integrated circuit that includes a ferrite film configured as at least one circulator, wherein the ferrite film composes a partial layer of the integrated circuit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention
  • Figure 6 is an exploded view of the layers of an integrated circuit that includes multiple layers of ferrite film that together create at least one circulator according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a manufacturing embodiment according to the invention.
  • FIG. 2 is an illustration of a ferrite layer 20 that is configured as a circulator 26 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • the ferrite film 22 includes a ferrite material, which is a member of a group of nonmetallic, ceramic-like, usually ferromagnetic compounds of ferric oxide with other oxides, often characterized by extremely high electrical resistivity, and is selected for its dielectric and magnetic properties according to the application.
  • the ferrite material selected must be magnetized, for example to approximately 3,000- 5,000 Gauss.
  • H c a coercive field H c exceeding any remanent magnetization (4 ⁇ M R ), a dielectric loss tangent that is less than 0.001, and uniaxial anisotropy (H A ) range of 10-30 kOe is desirable.
  • An example of an acceptable material is Sr- hexaferrite ceramic (SrFe ⁇ 2 0 ⁇ 9 ). Such a ceramic can be polarized to achieve the desired magnetism.
  • the circulator 26 is configured to perform a faraday rotation of a microwave signal.
  • the Faraday effect is proportional to the magnetic field strength
  • the angle of rotation of the plane of polarization may be described by:
  • V V-B/
  • V is a constant (min/G-cm) that varies according to the composition of the ferrite film 22
  • B is the strength of the magnetic field (in Gauss) and / is the path length.
  • a metallic pattern 24 is printed on the ferrite film 22 so as to create a circulator 26 component.
  • Microwaves 16 can flow from one port 12 to an adjacent port 12 in a counter-clockwise direction.
  • the metallic pattern 24 can be connected to additional metallic circuit elements including resistors, conductors, and other circulators.
  • the ferrite layer 20 is collated with non-ferrite layers 32 of the MIC 30.
  • Figure 3 is an exploded view of the layers 32 of the MIC 30, where one layer is a ferrite film 22 configured as at least one circulator 26 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • the collation can include multiple ferrite layers 20 as well as multiple non-ferrite layers 32, arranged in any order.
  • Each ferrite layer 20 and each non-ferrite layer 32 can be laminated and punched with vias prior to collation. According to one embodiment, after collation, and as illustrated in
  • FIG 4 the non-ferrite layers 32 and the ferrite layers 20 are assembled and sintered together.
  • the resulting MIC 30 fully incorporates and hermetically seals a ferrite film 22 configured to establish at least one circulator 26 within the MIC 30 package.
  • the entire ferrite layer 20 can be composed of the ferrite film 22.
  • Figure 5 is an illustration of the assembled layers of an MIC 30 that includes a ferrite film 22 configured as a circulator 26, where the ferrite film 22 composes only a portion of a layer 32 of the MIC 30. The remainder of that layer 32 is a non-ferrite material.
  • a single circulator 26 or similar device can be composed of multiple ferrite layers 20 made of ferrite film 22.
  • Figure 6 is an exploded view of the layers 32 of a MIC 30 that includes multiple ferrite layers 20 including a ferrite film 22, where combination of the ferrite layers 20 creates at least one circulator or similar device.
  • the ferrite portion 70 consists of a magnetizable material.
  • the magnetizable material provided in one or several layers 72 of ceramic is arranged inside a static field 75 generated between electrodes 76 and 77.
  • the magnetizable material is magnetized upon exposure to the field generated when a voltage is applied to the electrodes.
  • the present invention provides a system and a method for creating integrated circuits that incorporate microwave components consisting of ferrite materials prior to cofiring according to an LTCC process. Still, it should be understood that the foregoing relates only to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, and that numerous changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Non-Reversible Transmitting Devices (AREA)
  • Thin Magnetic Films (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un circuit intégré comprenant un ensemble co-cuit (30) d'une pluralité de couches (20, 32) d'un support diélectrique d'éléments de circuit. Le circuit intégré comprend également une couche mince (20) comprenant un matériau ayant des propriétés ferroélectriques et ferromagnétiques, incorporée dans au moins une desdites couches de support diélectrique (32), ladite couche mince (20) étant positionnée intérieurement dans l'ensemble co-cuit. La couche mince comportant un matériau présentant des propriétés ferroélectriques et ferromagnétiques comprend également un motif de circuit métallisé se trouvant encapsulé de façon protégée à l'intérieur de l'ensemble co-cuit. L'invention concerne également un procédé de fabrication ainsi qu'un substrat multicouche.
PCT/SE2003/000226 2002-02-11 2003-02-11 Structure ceramique multicouche co-cuite comprenant un composant a micro-ondes WO2003069722A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2003206342A AU2003206342A1 (en) 2002-02-11 2003-02-11 Cofired multi-layer ceramic structure incorporating a microwave component

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
SE0200404A SE0200404D0 (sv) 2002-02-11 2002-02-11 Microwave component
SE0200404-2 2002-02-11

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2003069722A1 true WO2003069722A1 (fr) 2003-08-21

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AU (1) AU2003206342A1 (fr)
SE (1) SE0200404D0 (fr)
WO (1) WO2003069722A1 (fr)

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0653799A2 (fr) * 1993-10-12 1995-05-17 Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Elément de circuit non-réciproque pour l'utilisation haute fréquence
US5532667A (en) * 1992-07-31 1996-07-02 Hughes Aircraft Company Low-temperature-cofired-ceramic (LTCC) tape structures including cofired ferromagnetic elements, drop-in components and multi-layer transformer
US6507249B1 (en) * 1999-09-01 2003-01-14 Ernst F. R. A. Schloemann Isolator for a broad frequency band with at least two magnetic materials

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5532667A (en) * 1992-07-31 1996-07-02 Hughes Aircraft Company Low-temperature-cofired-ceramic (LTCC) tape structures including cofired ferromagnetic elements, drop-in components and multi-layer transformer
EP0653799A2 (fr) * 1993-10-12 1995-05-17 Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Elément de circuit non-réciproque pour l'utilisation haute fréquence
US6507249B1 (en) * 1999-09-01 2003-01-14 Ernst F. R. A. Schloemann Isolator for a broad frequency band with at least two magnetic materials

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
SE0200404D0 (sv) 2002-02-11
AU2003206342A1 (en) 2003-09-04

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