Skyworks Solutions, Inc.

Sige Semiconductor, Inc.

Raytheon Company

Michael Joseph McPartlin

Mark M Doherty

Bharatjeet Singh Gill

Chun-Wen Paul Huang

David R Helms

John D Gillis

Phillip Antognetti

Stephen Joseph Kovacic

Anthony Francis Quaglietta

Lui Ray Lam

John Jackson Nisbet

John A DeFalco

Solder bumps are placed in direct contact with the silicon substrate of an amplifier integrated circuit having a flip chip configuration. A plurality of amplifier transistor arrays generate waste heat that promotes thermal run away of the amplifier if not directed out of the integrated circuit. The waste heat flows through the thermally conductive silicon substrate and out the solder bump to a heat-sinking plane of an interposer connected to the amplifier integrated circuit via the solder bumps.

Direct substrate to solder bump connection for thermal management in flip chip amplifiers

In some embodiments, a wireless local area network (WLAN) front-end can be implemented on a semiconductor die having a semiconductor substrate, and a power amplifier implemented on the semiconductor substrate and configured for WLAN transmit operation associated with a frequency range. The semiconductor die can further include a low-noise amplifier (LNA) implemented on the semiconductor substrate and configured for WLAN receive operation associated with the frequency range. The semiconductor die can further include a transmit/receive switch implemented on the semiconductor substrate and configured to support the transmit and receive operations.

WLAN front-end

Systems and methods are disclosed for integrating functional components of front-end modules for wireless radios. Front-end modules disclosed may be dual-band front-end modules for use in 802.11ac-compliant devices. In certain embodiments, integration of front-end module components on a single die is achieved by implementing a high-resistivity layer or substrate directly underneath, adjacent to, and/or supporting SiGe BiCMOS technology elements.

Integrated RF front end system

Metal pillars are placed adjacent to transistor arrays in the power amplifiers that can be used in wireless devices. By placing the metal pillars in intimate contact with the silicon substrate and not over a substantial portion of the transistor arrays, the heat generated by the transistor arrays flows down into the silicon substrate and out the metal pillar. The metal pillar forms a solder bump of a flip chip power amplifier die, which when soldered to a module, further conducts the heat away from the transistor array.

Flip chip amplifier for wireless device

Fabrication of a wireless device involves providing a packaging substrate configured to receive a plurality of components, mounting a radio-frequency module on the packaging substrate, the radio-frequency module including a power amplifier including a bipolar transistor having collector, emitter, base and sub-collector regions, the radio-frequency module further including a conductive via positioned within 35 &#x3bc;m of the sub-collector region in order to clamp a peak voltage of the bipolar transistor at a voltage limit level, and electrically connecting the radio-frequency module to the packaging substrate using a plurality of connectors.

Fabrication of radio-frequency devices with amplifier voltage limiting features

Metal pillars are placed adjacent to NPN transistor arrays that are used in the power amplifier for RF power generation. By placing the metal pillars in intimate contact with the silicon substrate, the heat generated by the NPN transistor arrays flows down into the silicon substrate and out the metal pillar. The metal pillar also forms an electrical ground connection in close proximity to the NPN transistors to function as a grounding point for emitter ballast resistors, which form an optimum electrothermal configuration for a linear SiGe power amplifier.

Solder bump placement for thermal management in flip chip amplifiers

Solder bump placement for grounding in flip chip amplifiers

Solder bump placement for emitter-ballasting in flip chip amplifiers

Front-end integrated circuit for wireless local area network WLAN applications. In some embodiments, a semiconductor die can include a semiconductor substrate, and a power amplifier implemented on the semiconductor substrate and configured for WLAN transmit operation associated with a frequency range. The semiconductor die can further include a low-noise amplifier (LNA) implemented on the semiconductor substrate and configured for WLAN receive operation associated with the frequency range. The semiconductor die can further include a transmit/receive switch implemented on the semiconductor substrate and configured to facilitate the transmit and receive operations.

Front-end integrated circuit for WLAN applications

Systems and methods are disclosed for fabricating a semiconductor die that includes one or more bipolar transistors disposed on or above a high-resistivity region of a substrate. The substrate may include, for example, bulk silicon, at least a portion of which has high-resistivity characteristics. For example, the bulk substrate may have a resistivity greater than 500 Ohm*cm, such as around 1 kOhm*cm. In certain embodiments, one or more of the bipolar devices are surrounded by a low-resistivity implant configured to reduce effects of harmonic and other interference.

Growing community of inventors

North Andover, MA, United States of America

Michael Joseph McPartlin