Planar Integration Research Articles

A Compact Superconducting Heterodyne Focal Plane Array Implemented With HPI (Hybrid Planar Integration) Scheme

The article is concerned with the experimental evidence that proves technical feasibility of the hybrid planar integration (HPI) scheme that has been proposed to construct superconductor–insulator–superconductor (SIS) mixer focal plane arrays of unprecedented compactness. The scheme is characterized by the adoption of silicon membrane-based waveguide probes, which allows superconducting monolithic microwave integrated circuits to couple signal, and local oscillator (LO) from (computer numerical control)-machined waveguides through multiple paths. A $2\times 2$ dual-polarization balanced SIS mixer array has been implemented with this scheme, and assessed in $125 - \text{163}\,\text{GHz}$ RF band. This compact array has demonstrated uniform LO distribution, and low crosstalk between pixels. The RF performance of component pixels has been confirmed to be little affected by the high-degree integration. The potential implementation of the HPI scheme at THz frequencies is also discussed.

Performance evaluation of noise coupling on Germanium based TSV filled material for future IC integration technique

• Due to its CTE mismatch and Electromigration (EM) issues of Cu as TSV, Germanium can be used as an alternative material. • Quantum-well (QW) formed between Silicon substrate and Germanium core can be used as a high-speed TSV interconnect. • It opens up the window towards the future IC Integration (3D IC). 3D IC Integration shows the most emerging technology for future integration nodes which is now a most important trend for the semiconductor industries. Through-silicon-via (TSV) based integration is the prime technique to facilitate 3D IC integration without compromising the Moore’s law. It is likely to usher the IC industries a paradigm shift from planar integration as it provides major benefits like improvement of system performance, power and enables heterogeneous integration. In this paper, we report Germanium/poly-germanium as an substitute material for Silicon/poly-silicon due to its superior carrier mobility. Mobility of electrons and holes in c-Silicon is 1500 cm 2 /V-s and 450 cm 2 /V-s respectively, where as in c-Germanium, the respective values are 3900 cm 2 /V-s and 1900 cm 2 /V-s. Therefore, considering these carrier mobility values we can envisage that poly germanium will be one of the ideal candidate towards realizing a high speed TSV interconnect when compared with poly-silicon. Nevertheless, even though copper is used widely to fill TSVs, it is also bereft of proper thermal expansion match with Silicon/dielectric (SiO 2 ). The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of Cu (∼17.5x 10 -6 /°C) is many times more than of silicon (∼2.5x 10 -6 /°C). Hence, there will be heavy mismatch between Cu filled TSV and Silicon/SiO 2 , and then it creates stress and strain between the interfaces. The CTE of germanium (5.8x 10–6/°C) is very close to Silicon, thus there CTE mismatch is very less, this fact is also an added advantage for Germanium to challenge copper as TSV material.

Compact high-performance polarization beam splitter based on a silicon photonic crystal heterojunction

A novel polarization beam splitter based on a silicon photonic crystal (PC) heterostructure operating in the optical-telecommunications band is envisaged and is configured for planar integration with other PC or waveguide structures. The small 9μm×9.4μm footprint polarization beam splitter is investigated by the plane-wave expansion and finite-difference time-domain methods. Due to the combined effects of self-collimation and the photonic band gap, self-collimation transmission and 90° beam splitting for the two orthogonal polarizations are achieved. The transmissivity exceeds 60% (78%) for TE (TM) polarization covering a 115-nm bandwidth, and it is also observed that the polarization extinction ratios of the device are higher than 13 and 31 dB, respectively. Moreover, at the wavelength of 1550 nm, TE (TM) polarization has high transmissivity 94.9% (88%) with high polarization extinction ratio of 17 dB (41 dB). A compact and efficient polarization beam splitter is successfully designed for applications in optical communications.

Low-Cost Millimeter-Wave Circularly Polarized Planar Integrated Magneto-Electric Dipole and Its Arrays With Low-Profile Feeding Structures

A low-cost millimeter-wave circularly polarized (CP) planar integrated magneto-electric dipole (ME-dipole) element with simple structure is proposed, which is fed by a low-profile feeding structure capable of being directly integrated with Ka -band front-end circuits. Two rotationally symmetrical L-shaped patches are adopted to replace the two straight arms of the original linearly polarized ME-dipole to generate a rotated electric field, thus radiating CP waves. Based on this CP ME-dipole element, CP array antennas containing 2 × 2 and 4 × 4 radiators with low-profile full-corporate feeding networks are developed without any additional dielectric layer. Prototypes of these two CP array antennas are fabricated and measured. Good agreement between the simulated and measured results is achieved, validating the correctness of these two designs. The 2 × 2 array exhibits a | S 11| Ka -band satellite communications, etc.

Controllable Orthogonal Mode Rejection for Smart Polarization Diversity at Millimeter-Wave Frequency

A ferromagnetic loaded device for controllable orthogonal mode rejection at millimeter-Wave is presented in this brief. The device is based on dual image dielectric guide (DIDG) capable of supporting both vertical (V-mode) and horizontal (H-mode) polarization. Two ferrite pillboxes are placed vertically (axis parallel to V-mode) and horizontally (axis parallel to H-mode) beside and above the DIDG, receptively. These pillboxes act as whispering gallery mode resonators interacting with the mode parallel to their axis depending on the applied magnetic DC bias, resulting in controllable mode rejection beneficial in smart antenna systems. Despite traditional magnetically tunable ferrite based components, the proposed design is mostly based on the direction of the magnetic bias requiring a small magnetic bias of 1 mT. An aperture coupling transition from Microstrip line to DIDG is used to perform orthogonal mode decomposition as well as proposing planar circuits excitation and integration. Measured polarization filtering bandwidth provided by each pillbox is 0.4 GHz having insertion loss higher than 10 dB (no transmission) and port isolation of higher than 15 dB. Insertion loss of the case, when the rejection mechanism is off, is around 3 dB.

In-depth investigation and applications of novel silicon photonics microstructures supporting optical vorticity and waveguiding for ultra-narrowband near-infrared perfect absorption

We propose a novel concept of designing silicon photonics metamaterials for perfect near-infrared light absorption. The study’s emphasis is an in-depth investigation of various physical mechanisms behind the ∼ 100 % ultra-narrowband record peak absorptance of the designed structures, comprising an ultrathin silicon absorber. The electromagnetic power transport, described by the Poynting vector, is innovatively explored, which shows combined vortex and crossed-junction two-dimensional waveguide-like flows as outcomes of optical field singularities. These flows, though peculiar for each of the designed structures, turn out to be key factors of the perfect resonant optical absorption. The electromagnetic fields show tight two-dimensional confinement: a sharp vertical confinement of the resonant-cavity type combined with a lateral metasurface supported confinement. The silicon-absorbing layer and its oxide environment are confined between two subwavelength metasurfaces such that the entire design is well compatible with silicon-on-insulator microelectronics. The design concept and its outcomes meet the extensive challenges of ultrathin absorbers for minimum noise and an ultra-narrowband absorptance spectrum, while maintaining an overall very thin structure for planar integration. With these materials and such objectives, the proposed designs seem essential, as standard approaches fail, mainly due to a very low silicon absorption coefficient over the near-infrared range. Tolerance tests for fabrication errors show fair tolerability while maintaining a high absorptance peak, along with a controllable deviation off the central-design wavelength. Various applications are suggested and analyzed, which include but are not limited to: efficient photodetectors for focal plane array and on-chip integrated silicon photonics, high-precision spectroscopic chemical and angular-position sensing, and wavelength-division multiplexing.

Hierarchical Ordered Dual‐Mesoporous Polypyrrole/Graphene Nanosheets as Bi‐Functional Active Materials for High‐Performance Planar Integrated System of Micro‐Supercapacitor and Gas Sensor

AbstractPlanar integrated systems of micro‐supercapacitors (MSCs) and sensors are of profound importance for 3C electronics, but usually appear poor in compatibility due to the complex connections of device units with multiple mono‐functional materials. Herein, 2D hierarchical ordered dual‐mesoporous polypyrrole/graphene (DM‐PG) nanosheets are developed as bi‐functional active materials for a novel prototype planar integrated system of MSC and NH3 sensor. Owing to effective coupling of conductive graphene and high‐sensitive pseudocapacitive polypyrrole, well‐defined dual‐mesopores of ≈7 and ≈18 nm, hierarchical mesoporous network, and large surface area of 112 m2 g−1, the resultant DM‐PG nanosheets exhibit extraordinary sensing response to NH3 as low as 200 ppb, exceptional selectivity toward NH3 that is much higher than other volatile organic compounds, and outstanding capacitance of 376 F g−1 at 1 mV s−1 for supercapacitors, simultaneously surpassing single‐mesoporous and non‐mesoporous counterparts. Importantly, the bi‐functional DM‐PG‐based MSC‐sensor integrated system represents rapid and stable response exposed to 10–40 ppm of NH3 after only charging for 100 s, remarkable sensitivity of NH3 detection that is close to DM‐PG‐based MSC‐free sensor, impressive flexibility with ≈82% of initial response value even at 180°, and enhanced overall compatibility, thereby holding great promise for ultrathin, miniaturized, body‐attachable, and portable detection of NH3.

Inorganic Stimuli‐Responsive Nanomembranes for Small‐Scale Actuators and Robots

Stimuli-Responsive Nanomembranes As reviewed by Yongfeng Mei and co-workers in article number 1900092, micropatterned inorganic stimuli-responsive nanomembrane array can be fabricated by the planar semiconductor integration process. After releasing from the substrate, the nanomembranes can be easily shaped into various 3D architectures, in response to external environmental stimuli. Such smart materials have a high loading capacity of the fabricated structures and fast actuation speed of the shape morphing.

Integration-by-parts reductions of Feynman integrals using Singular and GPI-Space

We introduce an algebro-geometrically motived integration-by-parts (IBP) re- duction method for multi-loop and multi-scale Feynman integrals, using a framework for massively parallel computations in computer algebra. This framework combines the com- puter algebra system Singular with the workflow management system GPI-Space, which are being developed at the TU Kaiserslautern and the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics (ITWM), respectively. In our approach, the IBP relations are first trimmed by modern tools from computational algebraic geometry and then solved by sparse linear algebra and our new interpolation method. Modelled in terms of Petri nets, these steps are efficiently automatized and automatically parallelized by GPI-Space. We demonstrate the potential of our method at the nontrivial example of reducing two-loop five-point non- planar double-pentagon integrals. We also use GPI-Space to convert the basis of IBP reductions, and discuss the possible simplification of master-integral coefficients in a uni- formly transcendental basis.

SIW cavity‐backed 24 ° inclined‐slots antenna for ISM band application

In this article, a novel resonant series slot linearly polarized antenna is realized using substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) technology for industrial scientific medical radio band (ISM) at 5.8 GHz. The proposed antenna consists of two 24° inclined slots and two metallic vias to produce alternate inductive and capacitive loads. The rectangular slots are introduced at the top metallic surface at an angle of 24° from the Y-axis to excite a hybrid mode (TE110 + TE120) near to the modified cavity mode TE120. The resonant slots are excited with the help of an inset microstrip feedline which retain its planar integrability. The slots are excited to resonate in the TE120 mode at 5.8 GHz. To enhance the bandwidth, the location of two shorting vias are optimized in proximity to the slots. These vias help to couple the hybrid mode and the cavity modes in the desired frequency band, which leads to enhancement in the bandwidth significantly. The proposed geometry is fabricated and experimentally verified. The measured and simulated results depict a good co-relation which show measured −10 dB fractional bandwidth of 5.2% with a maximum gain of 7.15 dBi and the front to back ratio better than 15 dB at 5.8 GHz.

Noise performance improvement in 3D IC integration utilizing different dielectric materials

Semiconductor Industries are mainly facing problems by using planar integration (2D IC) in order to overcome the paradigm shift has been adopted as vertical IC integration so called 3D IC. It not only provides higher bandwidth, higher system performance, but also consumes less power with system scaling. 3D IC has an ability to coordinate IC chips by stacking them vertically and electrically associated utilizing TSV's (Through Silicon Via). By utilizing TSV's in 3D IC, TSV noise coupling is one of the vital factors for the system performance aspects. TSV's play major role in carrying the electrical signal between the IC’s of 3D integrated structures. Noise coupling is the major drawback between the signal carrying TSV’s (ETSV) and victim TSV’s. In this work, we have shown better electrical integrity by reducing the noise coupling from TSV to Silicon substrate by essentially changing the CMOS compatible dielectric materials as liner structures. In addition to this performance of various proposed structures are analyzed and verified under different parameters like electrical signal and at high frequencies. Also, the noise coupling analysis has been studied for Electrical TSV’s (ETSV), TTSV (Thermal Through Silicon Via) and heat source. Finally, our work shows liner material Teflon AF1600 shows comparably better noise coupling performance for all the proposed models even at higher frequencies like THz.

Generalised power series expansions for the elliptic planar families of Higgs + jet production at two loops

We obtain generalised power series expansions for a family of planar two-loop master integrals relevant for the QCD corrections to Higgs + jet production, with phys- ical heavy-quark mass. This is achieved by defining differential equations along contours connecting two fixed points, and by solving them in terms of one-dimensional generalised power series. The procedure is efficient, and can be repeated in order to reach any point of the kinematic regions. The analytic continuation of the series is straightforward, and we present new results below and above the physical thresholds. The method we use allows to compute the integrals in all kinematic regions with high precision. For example, per- forming a series expansion on a typical contour above the heavy-quark threshold takes on average O(1 second) per integral with worst relative error of O(10−32), on a single CPU core. After the series is found, the numerical evaluation of the integrals in any point of the contour is virtually instant. Our approach is general, and can be applied to Feynman integrals provided that a set of differential equations is available.

TVID 2: evaluation of planar-type three-loop self-energy integrals with arbitrary masses

We present TVID 2, a program to numerically evaluate an important class of planar three-loop self-energy master integrals with arbitrary masses. As with the predecessor version (TVID 1) the integrals are separated into a known piece, containing the UV divergencies, and a finite piece that is integrated numerically, implemented in C. The set of master integrals under consideration was found with self-energy diagrams containing two closed fermion loops in mind. Two techniques are employed in deriving the expressions for the finite pieces that are then numerically integrated: (a) Sub-loop dispersion relations in the case of topologies containing sub-bubbles, and (b) a modification of the procedure suggested by Ghinculov for integrals with only sub-loop triangles.

Planar Growth, Integration, and Applications of Semiconducting Nanowires.

Silicon and other inorganic semiconductor nanowires (NWs) have been extensively investigated in the last two decades for constructing high-performance nanoelectronics, sensors, and optoelectronics. For many of these applications, these tiny building blocks have to be integrated into the existing planar electronic platform, where precise location, orientation, and layout controls are indispensable. In the advent of More-than-Moore's era, there are also emerging demands for a programmable growth engineering of the geometry, composition, and line-shape of NWs on planar or out-of-plane 3D sidewall surfaces. Here, the critical technologies established for synthesis, transferring, and assembly of NWs upon planar surface are examined; then, the recent progress of in-plane growth of horizontal NWs directly upon crystalline or patterned substrates, constrained by using nanochannels, an epitaxial interface, or amorphous thin film precursors is discussed. Finally, the unique capabilities of planar growth of NWs in achieving precise guided growth control, programmable geometry, composition, and line-shape engineering are reviewed, followed by their latest device applications in building high-performance field-effect transistors, photodetectors, stretchable electronics, and 3D stacked-channel integration.

Parasitic Suppression in 2D Smart Power ICs Using Deep Trench Isolation: A Simulation Study

In this letter, a planar integration using the deep trench isolation (DTI) technique is proposed to suppress the inter-well parasites in smart power integrated circuits implemented in 0.35 µm BiCMOS technology. In this technology, all devices share the same epitaxial layer. This can lead to a punch-through between power devices as well as between power and low-voltage CMOS devices. A DTI scheme is used to suppress the effect of the parasitic BJT by using a P+ retardation implant region under the deep trench isolation region. The injection ratio of the parasitic BJT is reduced by a factor between 3 and 8.5. The effect of the trench length and the retardation implant is investigated using SENTAURUS TCAD simulations. It is confirmed, through using TCAD simulations, that the amount of the collected carriers of the sensitive devices changes as a function of the trench length and the presence of the retardation implant.

Integrated coding metasurface for multi-functional millimeter-wave manipulations

This Letter proposes a coding metasurface featuring multiple functions and high integration. It uses the addition theorem of complex codes to achieve multi-functional millimeter-wave (mm-wave) manipulations. The principle is introduced in detail, followed by an example of a single-layered reflective-type integrated coding metasurface. Its overall coding pattern is formed by 3-bit rectangular complex code particles, which is a superposition of two 2-bit patterns of the far-field pencil beam and near-field Bessel vortex beam. Moreover, the proposed coding metasurface features high integration by fully integrating with planar substrate-integrated waveguide feed in a single-layered printed circuit board. The proposed and experimentally validated configuration is a good candidate for planar integration with active front-end circuits at mm-wave and terahertz frequencies.

Planar master integrals for four-loop form factors

We present the complete set of planar master integrals relevant to the calculation of three-point functions in four-loop massless Quantum Chromodynamics. Employing direct parametric integrations for a basis of finite integrals, we give analytic results for the Laurent expansion of conventional integrals in the parameter of dimensional regularization through to terms of weight eight.

A Compact Planar Omnidirectional MIMO Array Antenna With Pattern Phase Diversity Using Folded Dipole Element

This paper presents a planar omnidirectional multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna with pattern phase diversity. The profiles of conventional dual-polarized omnidirectional MIMO antennas are too high to be planar integrated due to the limited bandwidth of vertical-polarized element. Therefore, a dual-channel horizontal-polarized MIMO antenna is proposed for the planar integration of omnidirectional MIMO antenna. The antenna is formed with four-element folded dipole array, and a compact feed network with two sets of 90° progressive phases is employed to feed the two channels with shared elements, thus the antenna can be integrated into a sheet of substrate with an ultralow profile of 0.8 mm. Although the polarization and radiation pattern (amplitude) of the two colocated channels are the same with each other, a high isolation is still achieved as a result of the orthogonal pattern phase. A prototype was fabricated to validate the performance. The measured highest isolation between two channels is 31.7 dB, and −10 dB isolated bandwidth is 2.29–2.57 GHz (11.7%) with S11 < −14 dB and envelope correlation coefficient less than 0.05, which shows a good diversity performance. Therefore, the proposed dual-channel antenna gives a feasible solution for the planar integration of the omnidirectional MIMO system.

Planar master integrals for the two-loop light-fermion electroweak corrections to Higgs plus jet production

We present the analytic calculation of the planar master integrals which contribute to compute the two-loop light-fermion electroweak corrections to the production of a Higgs boson in association with a jet in gluon-gluon fusion. The complete dependence on the electroweak-boson mass is retained. The master integrals are evaluated by means of the differential equations method and the analytic results are expressed in terms of multiple polylogarithms up to weight four.

Three-loop planar master integrals for heavy-to-light form factors

We calculate analytically the three-loop planar master integrals relevant for heavy-to-light form factors using the method of differential equations. After choosing a proper canonical basis, the boundary conditions are easy to be determined, and the solution of differential equations is greatly simplified. The results for seventy-one master integrals at general kinematics are all expressed in terms of harmonic polylogarithms.