Miniaturized ultra-wideband band-pass-filter from Silicon Integrated Passive Device technology

Abstract

In front-end modules of UWB applications, there are BPFs used to make the applications complying with the FCC's spectrum mask regulations at the transmitter paths, and to improve signal selectivity and receiving sensitivity at the receiver paths. Most of the UWB filtes in the applications now are made on printed circuit boards (PCBs) or using LTCC technology. We have developed a miniaturized UWB band-pass-filter using Silicon Integrated Passive Device (IPD) technology. The size of the filter is 1.6 times 1.2 times 0.4 mm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sup> , which is by far the smallest UWB filter achieving similar functions, to the best of our knowledge. A hybrid EM-circuit optimization scheme has been adopted for the design. Prototypes are made and measured. Good agreement has been achieved between designed results and probed data. This small form-factor UWB filter may be well used in SiP applications to reduce discrete filters, or to save large board areas used to implement such filtering functions.