volume | PIER Journals

Abstract

Investigations are conducted into low-loss, low-dispersion fully shielded membrane-supported striplines designed for use in a millimeter-wave multi-chip-module. Two types of transmission line are studied: a membrane-supported shielded stripline and a novel variation of this where the membrane material is removed in areas of little mechanical importance to reduce attenuation and dispersion. The latter is possible through the exploitation of a versatile micromachining technique using SU-8 for both the membrane and the shielding. The micromachining techniques used for the fabrication of the micro-shielding allows for the conformal packaging of lines and devices, with the ultimate aim of the realization of novel components for 3D system-in-a-package type modules. Extensive simulated results obtained from rigorous electromagnetic modeling are presented that fully characterize both types of line and, where possible, are compared to measured results. Loss mechanisms are investigated for both line types and simulations suggest that losses as low as 0.39 dB/cm and effective relative permittivities of less than 1.05 are possible at a frequency of 100 GHz, comparing well with other demonstrated membrane supported transmission lines. The methods used for investigation of line characteristics and analysis of single-mode, non-leaky frequency range are applicable to any variety of membrane supported transmission line. The basics of line fabrication are given along with measurement results and de-embedding techniques used at V-band.

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Dr. Novak E. S. Farrington

Dr. Stavros Iezekiel