RF-Benchmark up to 40 GHz for various LTCC Low Loss Tapes

Abstract

LTCC multilayer ceramic has been tested in several RF applications in the past. The benefits are obvious: high level of integration, buried components, low losses, robustness and others. LTCC has been established in mobile communication techniques up to a few GHz like GSM power amplifiers and frontend modules or Bluetooth transceiver circuits. RF design engineers are discovering LTCC more and more for higher frequencies. Some examples are WLAN at 5 GHz, RADAR sensors for automotive at 24GHz or even at 77GHz and several frequency bands for digital radio networks operating from about 20GHz to 60GHz. However, the RF-behaviour of LTCC waveguides in the upper GHz-range has barely been tested. The industry is missing a comparative test between various LTCC substrates. Therefore the consortium of the German R&D project EASTON, funded by the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and coordinated by the German Space Agency (DLR), decided to launch such a comparative evaluation of LTCC substrate systems up to 40GHz. The consortium has got great support from material suppliers, foundry services and research institutions, which are acknowledged at the end.