Recent product announcements by National Semiconductor (LMX9814), Motorola (MMM7400) and Philips Semiconductor (BGB100) are all taking an alternative approach to the SoC band-wagon. The announced products use an LTCC (Low Temperature Ceramic) or MCM-C substrate platform. EDA roadblocks are continuing to expand the gap between design productivity and tool capability.
The module platform is a viable SoC alternative. Economics of the module platform reduces the cost and time to market in comparison to a 90 nano-meter RF CMOS IC. A brief analysis highlights the economic impact. Currently RF circuits take 3-5 manufacturing passes at $1M for each mask set! The estimated costs are $5M and an additional 6 months time to market. The LTCC cycle time (for 3-5 passes) is a short 6 weeks and at a cost under $500K.
Unlike earlier module technology, LTCC has matured to a point that Bluetooth, cell phone handset and medical products are currently manufactured using module technology.
One advantage of the RF module platform is that it lets you design resistors, inductors and capacitors into the LTCC substrate. Also available are multiple routing layers and control of the die and SMD placement. Mixed technologies (GaAs, SiGe, CMOS) can be incorporated onto the module. A possible configuration can include a SiGe radio, a CMOS baseband processor, and Flash memory stacked on top of the baseband.
The following table compares current module technology.
MCM substrates are grouped into three major categories: MCM-C, MCM-D and MCM-L. MCM-C refers to ceramic-based substrates. MCM-D uses deposited metal and insulating layers to form circuits on silicon, alumina, or glass substrates. MCM-L substrates are laminates using techniques from PWB and TAB manufacturing. Combinations of the substrate technologies are sometimes used. (Source: http://www-3.ibm.com/chips/products/interconnect/technology/mcm.html
With this technology a "bits to antenna" solution is available to the system manufactures. This platform solution simplifies and reduces the final parts count for the products.
The roadblocks to module design are in the EDA tools offered. At a recent RFIC conference held in Seattle and a subsequent article in EE Times. Module design houses are experiencing the pain of not having adequate module design tools. This will continue to be a roadblock to expansion of the RF module platform. The two major EDA providers (Cadence, Synopsys) have no announced plans for an RF Module Platform solution. This represents a pivotal opportunity for smaller EDA companies.
The following survey report outlines the current use of multi-chip module technology in RF applications. The intent of the report is to identify the breadth of the market use of modules for RF applications.
National Semiconductor - LMX9814
National Semiconductor had announced its next generation Bluetooth solution to enable wireless connectivity between devices. From National's press release:
"This highly integrated 2nd generation solution offers a flexible CMOS Radio and Baseband, based on our LMX5250 and companion LMX5100 devices. This low power solution provides exceptional value for end designs, delivering the best in class MIPs/mA per dollar performance. Offering enhanced power management, a wide range of HCI transport layers, flexibility for on-chip or external memory, reprogrammable flash, no production calibration, small size and competitive performance, these devices are ready to enable numerous consumer and commercial applications for Bluetooth."
http://www.national.com/appinfo/wireless/0,1822,891,00.html
Motorola -- MMM7400
The 2.4 GHz low-power MMM7400 Wireless RF Data Transceiver module for the Bluetooth platform is a part of the comprehensive Bluetooth platform from Motorola that provides a comprehensive, low-power Bluetooth radio system for Bluetooth Class 2 power systems.
The MMM7400 Wireless RF Data Transceiver is a highly integrated 2.4 GHz module that provides a comprehensive, low-power Bluetooth 1.1 radio for Class 2 (4 dBm maximum) systems. When combined with a specified Motorola baseband controller, such as the MC71000 or MC9328MX1, a comprehensive Bluetooth solution can be realized.
The primary advantage of using LTCC is the ability to stack multiple layers in a thin ceramic substrate, with a significant portion of complementary matching design blocks embedded between the layers.
http://www.motorola.com/mediacenter/news/detail/0,1958,1413_1079_23,00.html.
http://e-www.motorola.com/brdata/PDFDB/docs/MMM7400FACT.pdf.
Philips Semiconductors -- BGB100
The BGB100 TrueBlue Bluetooth radio module is a short-range radio transceiver for wireless links operating in the globally available ISM band, between 2402 and 2480 MHz. It is composed of a fully integrated, state-of-the-art near-zero-IF transceiver chip, an antenna filter for out-of-band blocking performance, a TX/RX switch, TX and RX baluns, the VCO resonator and a basic amount of supply decoupling. The device is a Plug-and Play module that needs no external components for proper operation. Robust design allows for untrimmed components, giving a cost-optimized solution.
http://www.semiconductors.com/acrobat/datasheets/BGB100_N_4.pdf.
http://www.semiconductors.com/pip/bgb100.
http://www.semiconductors.philips.com/news/content/file_101.html.
Philips Semiconductors -- BGY122A/BGY122B
The BGY122A and BGY122B are three-stage UHF amplifier modules in a SOT388B package. Each module consists of three NPN silicon planar transistor dies mounted together with matching and bias circuit components on a metallized ceramic substrate. The modules produce an output power of 1.2 W into a load of 50
http://www.semiconductors.philips.com/news/content/file_361.html.
Hytel Group -- Manufacturer/Assembly
The ability to increase circuit density, fitting entire subassemblies into the space of a packaged component, as well as eliminating leadtime for additional packaging steps, has driven numerous market-leading firms to utilize wire bonding. Greater power handling and better signal integrity are also available by using bare die directly on either organic or ceramic substrates.
Thick film and ceramic substrates offer excellent value for high performance/high miniaturization circuitry. It is used extensively by the market leaders in wireless, automotive, medical, broadband communications, and test instrumentation electronics. The ability to integrate passive components into the substrate (capacitors, resistors, inductors) allows for high density, high performance assemblies that operate at high temperatures (above 120C), high frequencies (up to 40GHz), very small size (up to 3000 I-O/square inch density), and high volume (millions of circuits per month).
http://www.hytel.com/cob.htm.
http://www.hytel.com/?source=rf.
Kyocera -- RF Module, PA Module
http://www.kyocera.co.jp/frame/product/semicon/ic_pkg/rfmodule.html.
OKI -- LX3438
ETC (Electronic Toll Collection) systems automatically collect tolls, exchanging information by wireless between a base station installed at the toll gate and on-board equipment. Kyocedra company is involved in the developing and putting into actual use both base stations and on-board equipment. A discussion of specifications and performance of a radio frequency (RF) module now in mass production for ETC is available. The paper also discusses a next model which will be smaller and lower in cost and which is now under development with the intent of starting mass production in business year 2001.
http://www.obd.com/oki/otr/downloads/otr-187-07.pdf.
Microtune -- MT4950
Microtune's complete RF subsystems provide customers pre-tested and production-ready solutions engineered to meet the severe performance and power requirements of telephony applications.
Based on DOCSIS standards, the RF subsystems also provide a migration strategy to future Voice over IP (VoIP) implementations. Additionally, the RF subsystems contain Microtune-invented technology, including silicon components like the MicroStreamer Upstream Amplifier, to enable scalable, robust and feature-rich solutions.
http://www.microtune.com//products/Cable%20Telephony.html.
Advanced Radio Technology Systems
http://www.artechsystem.co.kr/k_html/2frame.html - PLL
http://www.artechsystem.co.kr/k_html/2frame.html -- RF
International Microelectronics and Packaging Society (iMAPS)
http://www.imaps.org/cii/pdf/sld001.htm -- for an RF Module presentation
http://www.imaps.org/adv_micro/2001nov_dec/2.html -- for a paper comparing modules to silicon
