Flip Chip-Enhanced QFN Package Millimeter-Wave Slot Bowtie Antenna Performance Using Two Feeding Methodologies

Millimeter-wave (mm-wave) antennas-in-package (AiP) present design, integration, and testing challenges when the operating frequencies are beyond 100GHz. From the packaging perspective, new techniques and technologies are developed which gives the designer flexibility in choosing different processes to integrate TX/RX chips and antennas within a package. However, in the absence of an integrated active device, testing in-package antennas is not a trivial process. In this paper, we present a 140–220GHz slot bowtie antenna integrated in a flip chip enhanced-quad flat no leads (FC-eQFN) package, soldered to a printed circuit board to verify the antenna’s performance using a test vehicle containing a ground-signal-ground (GSG) probe and backside waveguide feeding methodologies. The |S11| for GSG probe fed measurements have a greater impedance bandwidth than backside waveguide feed measurements. Radiation pattern measurements with the GSG probe feed are less accurate than those measured using the backside waveguide feed approach.