Low-cost millimeter-wave transceiver module using SMD packaged MMICs

This paper presents a novel approach to realize low-cost millimeter-wave modules using only SMD packaged MMICs integrated on a single organic substrate. This approach is demonstrated on a 38 GHz transceiver module for point-to-point LMDS communication systems. The required SMD package technology and demonstrator have been developed in the 5th framework European IST project "Surface Mount Assembly for Communication K-band Systems" (SMACKS). Two types of SMD packages have been developed based on LTCC technology for the low-power devices and an organic package for the high-power amplifier. The use of only packaged devices enables low-cost module manufacturing without the need for specialized equipment and without yield loss from handling bare die MMICs. The estimated cost reduction of such a module, with respect to a module using bare die components and mixed substrate technologies, is around 20%. A disadvantage of this approach is that the density of integration is low, since each active device is housed in its own package.