CN-122001396-A - Radio frequency device, method of manufacturing the same, system and waveguide antenna

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to radio frequency devices, methods of manufacturing the same, systems, and waveguide antennas. A Radio Frequency (RF) device comprising at least one RF chip and a structure coupled to the at least one RF chip, wherein the at least one RF chip and the structure are integrated in a same semiconductor package, wherein the structure is configured to couple at least two RF signals of the at least one RF chip to at least two modes of a waveguide external to the package and/or vice versa, and wherein the at least two modes are orthogonal to each other.

Inventors

• WOJNOWSKI MACIEJ
• T. Erdor
• E. ZELLER
• V. Liakonis
• W. HARTNER
• I. Papanos

Assignees

• 英飞凌科技股份有限公司

Dates

Publication Date

20260508

Application Date

20251106

Priority Date

20241108

Claims (20)

1. 1. A radio frequency, RF, device comprising: at least one RF chip, and A structure coupled to the at least one RF chip, wherein the at least one RF chip and the structure are integrated in the same semiconductor package, Wherein the structure is configured to couple at least two RF signals of the at least one RF chip to at least two modes of a packaged external waveguide and/or vice versa, and Wherein the at least two modes are orthogonal to each other.
2. 2. The RF device of claim 1, wherein the structure comprises a combiner configured to combine the at least two RF signals of the at least one RF chip into a combined signal and a transmitter configured to couple the combined signal to the at least two modes of the packaged external waveguide and/or vice versa.
3. 3. The RF device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least two RF signals are associated with at least two different RF channels of the at least one RF chip.
4. 4. The RF device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least two modes comprise at least two orthogonal electromagnetic polarizations of the packaged external waveguide.
5. 5. The RF device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the structure comprises: A first antenna configured to transmit and/or receive a first RF signal having a first electromagnetic polarization, an A second antenna configured to transmit and/or receive a second RF signal having a second electromagnetic polarization orthogonal to the first electromagnetic polarization.
6. 6. The RF device of claim 5, wherein: The first antenna is formed in a first metal layer disposed at a first main surface of the semiconductor package, and The second antenna is formed in a second metal layer disposed at a second major surface of the semiconductor package, the second major surface being opposite the first major surface.
7. 7. The RF device of claim 5 or 6, wherein the geometry of the first antenna is complementary to the geometry of the second antenna.
8. 8. The RF device of any one of claims 5-7, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are formed in an electrical redistribution structure of the semiconductor package.
9. 9. The RF device of any of claims 5-8, wherein the semiconductor package is a fan-out wafer level package and the first antenna and the second antenna are arranged in a fan-out area of the fan-out wafer level package.
10. 10. The RF device of any one of claims 5-9, wherein the first antenna comprises a first vivaldi antenna and the second antenna comprises a second vivaldi antenna.
11. 11. The RF device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the structure comprises: A first probe antenna configured to excite a first electromagnetic polarization of the package external waveguide, and A second probe antenna arranged orthogonal to the first probe antenna and configured to excite a second electromagnetic polarization of the package external waveguide, the second electromagnetic polarization being orthogonal to the first electromagnetic polarization.
12. 12. The RF device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the structure comprises: A patch antenna configured to excite a first electromagnetic polarization of the package external waveguide and to excite a second electromagnetic polarization of the package external waveguide, the second electromagnetic polarization being orthogonal to the first electromagnetic polarization.
13. 13. The RF device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the structure comprises: a slot antenna comprising a first slot and a second slot, the second slot being arranged orthogonal to the first slot.
14. 14. The RF device of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising: At least one package internal transmission structure coupled between the at least one RF chip and the structure, Wherein the at least one package internal transmission structure is configured to transmit the at least two RF signals, and Wherein the structure is configured to couple the at least two RF signals from the at least one package internal transmission structure to the at least two modes of the package external waveguide and/or vice versa.
15. 15. The RF device of claim 14, wherein: the structure includes the package internal transmission structure, An in-package waveguide is coupled to the at least one RF chip, and The package internal waveguide is configured to transmit the at least two RF signals based on at least two orthogonal modes of the package internal waveguide.
16. 16. The RF device of claim 15 wherein the package internal waveguide comprises at least one of a substrate integrated waveguide or an inflated waveguide.
17. 17. The RF device of any one of claims 14-16, wherein: the package-internal transmission structure includes at least two package-internal transmission lines coupled between the at least one RF chip and the structure, wherein the at least two transmission lines are configured to transmit the at least two RF signals.
18. 18. The RF device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the packaged external waveguide comprises at least one of a metal waveguide, a substrate integrated waveguide, an air-filled waveguide, a dielectric waveguide, a plastic microwave fiber.
19. 19. A waveguide antenna comprising: a structure configured to couple at least two RF signals to at least two modes of a waveguide of the waveguide antenna and/or vice versa, the at least two RF signals being associated with at least two different antenna elements of the waveguide antenna, Wherein the at least two modes are orthogonal to each other, and Wherein the waveguide antenna is configured to transmit and/or receive the at least two RF signals with the same electromagnetic polarization.
20. 20. The waveguide antenna of claim 19, wherein: The waveguide antenna comprises an inflated plastic waveguide antenna, and The at least two antenna elements include at least two slots.

Description

Radio frequency device, method of manufacturing the same, system and waveguide antenna Technical Field The present disclosure relates to Radio Frequency (RF) devices, methods for manufacturing RF devices, systems including RF devices, and waveguide antennas. Background Radio Frequency (RF) transceiver packages may be used in radar systems and feed RF signals directly into the inflated waveguide to avoid RF signal routing via transmission lines on a Printed Circuit Board (PCB). The main purpose of this approach is to avoid the cost of using high performance materials in the PCB and to prevent insertion loss of the transmission line. However, this approach may increase the size of the RF transceiver package because the interface to the waveguide cannot be made arbitrarily small due to the frequency cut-off behavior. In particular, as the number of RF channels in a radar system increases, the described problem may become even more serious. Manufacturers and developers of RF devices and systems are continually striving to improve their products. In the above context, it may be desirable to provide RF devices and systems that have smaller dimensions and lower production costs without sacrificing device performance. Furthermore, it may be desirable to provide suitable methods for manufacturing such RF devices and systems and to design waveguide antennas that may be used for such connections. Disclosure of Invention A first aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a Radio Frequency (RF) device. The RF device includes at least one RF chip and a structure coupled to the at least one RF chip, wherein the at least one RF chip and the structure are integrated in a same semiconductor package. The structure is configured to couple at least two RF signals of at least one RF chip to at least two modes of the packaged external waveguide and/or vice versa. At least two modes are orthogonal to each other. A second aspect of the present disclosure relates to a waveguide antenna. The waveguide antenna comprises a structure configured to couple at least two RF signals to at least two modes of a waveguide of the waveguide antenna and/or vice versa, wherein the at least two RF signals are associated with at least two different antenna elements of the waveguide antenna. At least two modes are orthogonal to each other. The waveguide antenna is configured to transmit and/or receive at least two RF signals having the same electromagnetic polarization. A third aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a system. The system comprises an RF device according to the first aspect, wherein the RF device is coupled to a first end of the packaged external waveguide. The system further comprises a further structure coupled to the second end of the package external waveguide, wherein the further structure is configured to couple at least two further RF signals to at least two modes of the package external waveguide and/or vice versa. A fourth aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a method for manufacturing an RF device. The method includes the steps of coupling at least one RF chip and a structure and integrating the at least one RF chip and the structure in the same semiconductor package. The structure is configured to couple at least two RF signals of at least one RF chip to at least two modes of the packaged external waveguide and/or vice versa. At least two modes are orthogonal to each other. Those skilled in the art will recognize additional features and advantages upon reading the following detailed description, and upon viewing the accompanying drawings. Drawings The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals refer to similar or identical elements. The elements of the drawings are not necessarily to scale relative to each other. The features of the various illustrated examples may be combined unless they repel each other. Fig. 1 includes fig. 1A-1D, which schematically illustrate cross-sectional side views and details of an RF device 100 according to the present disclosure. Fig. 2 schematically illustrates a cross-sectional side view of a system 200 according to the present disclosure. Fig. 3 schematically illustrates a structure 300 that may be included in an RF device according to the present disclosure. Fig. 4, which includes fig. 4A and 4B, schematically illustrates orthogonal electromagnetic polarizations (and modes) of waveguides. Fig. 5, which includes fig. 5A and 5B, schematically illustrates orthogonal electromagnetic polarizations (and modes) of waveguides. Fig. 6 schematically illustrates a structure 600 that may be included in an RF device according to the present disclosure. Fig. 7 schematically illustrates a structure 700 that may be included in an RF device according to the present disclosure. Fig. 8 schematically illustrates a structure 800 that may be included in an RF device according