An Ultra-Wideband Compact TR Module Based on 3-D Packaging

Zhiqiang Li,Shuai Zhang,Houjun Sun,Hongjiang Wu

doi:10.3390/electronics10121435

Abstract

This study presents a novel four-channel tile-type T/R module which achieves excellent performances in ultra-wideband (2–12 GHz) and integrates all circuits in a super-light (25 g) and compact (27.8 × 27.8 × 12 mm3) mechanical structure in active phased array systems. The key advancement of this T/R module was to choose a Ball Grid Array (BGA) as the vertical interconnection and bracing between High-Temperature Co-fired Ceramic (HTCC) substrates in order to achieve a high-integration 3-D structure. Exploiting the HTCC multilayer layout, this paper presents the design and development of an ultra-wideband, compact and light, high-output power, four-channel, dual-polarization Transmit/Receive (T/R) Module. In this module, microwave circuits and power control circuits are highly integrated into electrically isolated HTCC layers or substrates, resulting in low coupling and crosstalk between signals. Furthermore, multichip assembly technology, multifunctional MMICs, and other high-integration technologies were adopted for this module. Each channel could provide more than 2 W transmit output power, more than 15 dB receive gain, and less than 5 dB receive noise figure. Every module contains four channels. The power supply and phase/amplitude conditioning of each channel can be controlled individually and showed good consistency of the amplitude and phase of all channels. The connectors of manifold port and polarization ports are all SSMP, which can achieve further integration. This module has also an automatic negative power protection function. The module has stabilized performance and mass production prospects.

Highlights

The active phased arrays technology is widely used in radar systems, electronic warfare, and other telecommunication applications
All radiation channels of the T/R module are capable of signal amplification, phase/amplitude conditioning, and beam management
A T/R module basically consists of RF switches, power amplifiers, lownoise amplifiers, phase shifters, attenuators, power supply circuits, logic control circuits, and other functional circuits

Summary

Introduction

The active phased arrays technology is widely used in radar systems, electronic warfare, and other telecommunication applications. A T/R module basically consists of RF switches, power amplifiers, lownoise amplifiers, phase shifters, attenuators, power supply circuits, logic control circuits, and other functional circuits All of these RF chips and circuits have covered microwave integrated circuits, high-speed digital circuits, and other technical fields. As the key part of active phased array systems for airborne, missile, or other mobile platforms, the T/R module have high requirements: wide operating bandwidth, high reliability, high output power, compactness, and light weight. This paper is based on the HTCC (Al2O3) process with a BGA ball interconnection to design and develop a high-density system package, high-output power tile-type T/R module that is ultra-wideband, light and compact. HTCC, BGA interconnection, multifunctional MMICs technology were used to integrate the circuit into two sub-compact modules. The upper module sends the power, logic control signal, and RF signal to the lower module through the BGA ball

Electrical Specification

Thermal Design

SSMP Vertical Interconnection

Module Assembling and Testing

Conclusions