Overview
LTCC as a ceramic multilayer technology has a great potential for Microwave applications. The dielectrics (tapes) as well as the gold and silver conductors have the appropriate physical and electrical performance. In spite of being a very mature technology, LTCC has recently gone through large improvements in material development and has become available for communication equipment manufacturers through LTCC foundries. The competitive price of materials and production makes LTCC an ideal basis for System in a Package (SiP) and Multi Chip Modules (MCM). LTCC circuits can consist of a nearly arbitrary number of layers. Components can be integrated in cavities. LTCC substrates are rugged, hermetic and environ-mentally stable. These features and further favourable characteristics are utilized to develop compact and efficient modules for communication and sensor applications. This 2 weeks seminar will give the attendees a deep insight into the theoretical background of LTCC and its RF and microwave applications. Furthermore a practice part is added, where the participants will go through all manufacturing steps. IMST's test coupon, which has been developed for benchmarking of LTCC material systems, will be processed in the clean-room laboratory of IMST. Finally microwave on-wafer measurements will be carried out to get insight into the characterization of high frequency circuits.

Theoretical part with presentations

The theoretical presentations consist of about 25 sections with roughly 1000 viewgraphs in total. The LTCC class is divided into 9 chapters.. Presentations will be given in IMST's seminar rooms, which are equipped with modern technology. Handouts will be made available for all attendees.

1. Introduction, Schedule and Safety

1.1 Welcome
1.2 Introduction of IMST and the LTCC Team
1.3 Schedule and Organizational Issues
1.4 Safety in the Laboratory

2. LTCC Material Systems and Foundry Services

2.1 Tapes
2.2 Pastes and Inks
2.3 Material Systems and Suppliers
2.4 Comparison of Material Systems
2.5 Foundry Services

3. Waveguides

3.1 Overview of Applicable Waveguides
3.2 Microstrip Line (MS)
3.3 Coplanar Waveguide (CPW)
3.4 Stripline (SL)
3.5 Dielectric Filled Rectangular Waveguide (DRWG)
3.6 Via Side Walls

4. LTCC Manufacturing Process and Design Rules

4.1 Process Steps
- 4.1.0 Overview of process
- 4.1.1 Tape preparation and blanking
- 4.1.2 Via forming
- 4.1.3 Introduction to screen printing
- 4.1.4 Via filling with screen printer
- 4.1.5 Conductor printing
- 4.1.6 Stacking and lamination
- 4.1.7 Burnout and sintering
- 4.1.8 Inspection
- 4.1.9 Post-processing
4.2 Design and Layout Aspects
- 4.2.1 Passive Components
- 4.2.2 Thermal Design
- 4.2.3 Manufacturing Design Rules

5. Assembly and Integration Techniques

5.1 Transitions and Feedthrus
5.2 Chip Interconnects and Integration
5.3 Meshed Ground Planes
5.4 Packaging Technique

6. LTCC Benchmark

6.1 Evaluation of Ring Resonators (Part 1): DuPont 951 vs. Ferro A6S
6.2 Evaluation of Ring-Resonators (Part 2): Comparison of Low Loss LTCC Materials
6.3 Conductor Properties

7. Applications and Examples

7.1 Overview of RF and Microwave Applications
- 7.1.1 Passive Components
- 7.1.2 Active Components
- 7.1.3 Antennas
- 7.1.4 Modules
- 7.1.5 Further Examples
7.2 LTCC Circuits and Modules
- 7.2.1 SMD Lowpass Filter @ 800 MHz
- 7.2.2 Balun for Push-pull PA @ 0.9 + 1.8 GHz
- 7.2.3 Bluetooth^TM Modules @ 2.45 GHz
- 7.2.4 FMCW Radar Frontend @ 24 GHz
- 7.2.5 LMDS Transceiver @ 25 GHz
- 7.2.6 Point-to-Point Transceiver @ 28 GHz
- 7.2.7 Fixed Wireless Access Frontend @ 41 GHz
- 7.2.8 Antennas and Digital Beam Forming @ 30 GHz
- 7.2.9 Ka-Band Technology for Satellite Applications @ 20 GHz
- 7.2.10 X-Band Tx/Rx Module @ 9 to 10 GHz
- 7.2.11 Liquid Crystal in LTCC
- 7.2.12 60 GHz WLAN

8. Tests and Measurements

8.1 Basics of RF and microwave theory
8.2 Planar waveguide technologies
8.3 S-parameter on-waver and coaxial measurements
8.4 Calibration methods

Practice part

IMST's LTCC test coupon on DuPont 951 with silver conductors will be manufactured from the participants under supervision of our specialists. The prototype process and the inspection equipment is installed in a clean-room laboratory. The max. number of participants is limited to 4.

Front view of test tile (DuPont 943)

Back view of test tile (DuPont 943)

Schedule for 2 weeks

W1 and W2: first and second week
M1 and M2: first and second morning sessions
A1 and A2: first and second afternoon sessions
C: classroom session
L: laboratory session
E: excursion