Mise en boitier de circuits intégrés micro-ondes en technologie LTCC

• Main Author: RIDA, Khodor Hussein
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: [SPI:ELEC] Engineering Sciences/Electromagnetism; [SPI:ELEC] Sciences de l'ingénieur/Electromagnétisme; LTCC technology; Manufacturing process; RF packaging; Design Rules; MMIC integration; RF measurement
• Online Access: http://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-00908836; http://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/docs/00/90/88/36/PDF/2013telb0280_Rida_Khodor.pdf

This thesis concerns the introduction and development in our laboratory of a multilayer ceramic technology, called LTCC, for RF and microwave packaging. LTCC stands for Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramics. As can be understood from its name, the low temperature means that the LTCC circuit is fired below 1000 °C that allows the use of high conductivity materials such as gold and silver. The thesis work starts after the bibliographic study of RF packaging technology, with the choice of LTCC substrate and conductor materials necessary to implement LTCC technology in our laboratory. Then, the LTCC manufacturing process is put in place and validated in order to produce operational LTCC circuits. This process includes the cut of LTCC layers, via hole and cavity creation, via fill for vertical interconnecting, screen printing for horizontal patterns, stacking, lamination and finally the firing to obtain a 3D circuit. Most encountered technological problems are resolved and the fabrication steps are validated. LTCC DESIGN RULES that contain all dimensional values required for future RF packaging designers at the laboratory is elaborated. Next, after the successful establishment of LTCC technology, it is qualified up to 40 GHz using simple RF structures such as transmission lines and planar resonators. Then, a multilayer LTCC package for an MMIC oscillator functioning in the frequency band between 10.6 and 12.6 GHz is proposed, fabricated and finally measured.