Smart CutTM Piezo On Insulator (POI) substrates for high performance integrated acoustic devices

Abstract

5G standards effective deployment drives considerable technology challenges and implications on mobile devices design and requires innovative solutions to solve them. At the RF Front End Modules (FEM) level, the usage of new frequency bands, the complex use of the frequency bands (Carrier Aggregation, MIMO, QAM) and the coexistence with 4G networks are challenging the limits of existing acoustic filter technologies. A promising approach combining a thin single crystal LiTaO3 layer bonded on a Silicon substrate - so called Piezo On Insulator (POI) – together with the existing Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) filter technology, enables to take advantage of guided waves that do not suffer from any radiation leakage. This SAW on POI approach will extend the use of the existing SAW technologies for higher performance integrated acoustic devices. Triggered by the 5G filter market demand, the Smart CutTM technology has enabled high performance POI substrates supply chain in volume manufacturing, and paves the way to new design approaches for many applications beyond the Smartphone market.