• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.295-301
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• 2002

In this paper, solenoid-type 3-D passives (inductors and transformers) have been designed, fabricated, and characterized by using electroplating techniques, wire bonding techniques, multi-layer thick photoresist, and low temperature processes which are compatible with semiconductor circuitry fabrication. Two different fabrication approaches are performed to develop the solenoid-type 3-D passives and relationship of performance characteristics and geometry is also deeply investigated such as windings, cross-sectional area of core, spacing between windings, and turn ratio. Fully integrated inductor has a quality factor of 31 at 6 GHz, an inductance of 2.7 nH, and a self resonant frequency of 15.8 GHz. Bonded wire inductor has a quality factor of 120, an inductance of 20 nH, and a self resonant frequency of 8 GHz. Integrated transformers with turn ratios of 1:1 and n:l have the minimum insertion loss of about 0.6 dB and the wide bandwidth of a few GHz.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.40 no.11
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• pp.1090-1095
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• 2003

In this paper, the modeling and design of high-Q multilayer passives and multilayer diplexer for GSM/DCS applications designed and fabricated using these passives have been investigated.. To miniaturize the system, configurations of inductor and capacitor have involved a square spiral structure and a vertically-interdigitated capacitor similar to 3D interdigital structure, respectively. Multilayer diplexers for GSM/DCS applications were designed and fabricated to apply high-Q multilayer passives to practical systems, which were designed by the proposed structural and equivalent circuit model. LPF for GSM band had the passband insertion loss of less than 0.55 dB, the return loss of more than 12 dB, and the isolation level of more than 26 dB by locating attenuation pole at 1800 MHz. HPF for DCS band had the passband insertion loss of less than 0.82 dB, the return loss of more than 11 dB, and the isolation level of more than 38 dB by locating attenuation pole at 930 MHz.

• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.49-55
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• 2002

This paper presents high performance MEMS passives using fully CMOS compatible, monolithically integrable 3-D RF MEMS processes for RF and microwave applications. The 3-D RF MEMS technology has been developed and investigated as a viable technological option, which can break the limit of the conventional IC technology. We have demonstrated the versatility of the technology by fabricating various 3-D thick-metal microstructures for RF and microwave applications, such as spiral/solenoid inductors, transformers, and transmission lines, with a vertical dimension of up to $100{\;}\mu\textrm{m}$. To the best of our knowledge, we report that we are the first to construct a fully integrated VCO with MEMS inductors, which has achieved a low phase noise of -124 dBc/Hz at 300 kHz offset from a center frequency of 1 GHz.

• Proceedings of the International Microelectronics And Packaging Society Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.3-17
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• 2003

.Package Trend -> Memory : Lighter, Thinner, Smaller & High Density => SiP, 3D Stack -> MPU : High Pin Counts & Multi-functional => FCBGA .Interposer Trend -> Via - Unfilled Via => Filled Via - Staggered Via => Stacked Via -> Emergence of All-layer Build-up Processes -> Interposer Material Requirement => Low CTE, Low $D_{k}$, Low $D_{f}$, Halogen-free .New Technology Concept -> Embedded Passives, Imprint, MLTS, BBUL etc.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2003.07b
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• pp.607-610
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• 2003

The characteristic prediction and analysis of 3-dimensional (3-D) solenoid-type embedded inductors is investigated. The four different structures of 3-D inductor are fabricated by using low-temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) process. The circuit model parameters of the each building block are optimized and extracted using the partial element equivalent circuit method and HSPICE circuit simulator. Based on the model parameters, predictive modeling is applied for the structures composed of the combination of the modeled building blocks. And the characteristics of test structures, such as self-resonant frequency, inductance and Q-factor, are analyzed. This approach can provide the characteristic conception of 3-D solenoid embedded inductors for structural variations.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2004.07c
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• pp.1673-1675
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• 2004

The design, modeling and measurement of RF switch module for GSM applications is presented in this paper. RF switch module is constructed using a LTCC multi-layer switching circuit and integrated low pass filter. Insertion and return loss of the low pass filter were designed less than 0.3 dB and better than 12.7 dB at 900 MHz. The RF switch module contained 10 embedded passives and 3 surface mount components integrated on $4.6{\times}4.8{\times}1.2$ mm, 6-layer multi-layer integrated circuit. The insertion loss of switch module was measured at 900 MHz was 11 dB.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.431-434
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• 2004

The design, simulation, modeling and measurement of a RF switch module for GSM applications were presented in this paper. switch module were simulated by ADS and constructed using a LTCC multi-layer switching circuit and integrated low pass filter, designed to operate in the GSM band. Insertion and return losses at 900 MHz of the low pass filters were designed to lower than 0.3 dB and higher than 12.7 dB respectively. The switch module constructed, contained 10 embedded passives and 3 surface mounted components integrated on $4.6{\times}4.8{\times}1.2$ m volume, 6-layer integrated circuit. The insertion loss of switch module at m MHz were around 11 dB.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 1999.11a
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• pp.203-207
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• 1999

In this paper we report new integration technology developed for three-dimensional metallic microstructures in an arbitrary shape. We have developed the two fabrication methods: Multi-Exposure and Single-Development (MESD) and Sacrificial Metallic Mold(SMM) techniques. Three-dimensional photoresist mold can be formed by the MESD method while unlimited number of structural levels can be realized by the SMM technique. Using these two techniques we have fabricated solenoid inductors and levitated spiral inductors for RF applications. We have achieved peak Q- factors over 40 in the 2-10㎓ range, the highest number among the inductors reported to date. Finally, we propose "On-Chip Passives" as a post IC process for monolithic integration of inductors, tunable capacitors, microwave switches, transmission lines, and mixers and filters toward future single-chip transceiver integration.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.39-44
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• 2008

In this paper, fully embedded 2.4GHz WLAN band pass filter (BPF) was investigated into a multi-layered organic packaging substrate using high Q spiral stacked inductors and high Dk MIM capacitors for low cost RF System on Package (SOP) applications. The proposed 2.4GHz WLAN BPF was designed by modifying chebyshev second order filter circuit topology. It was comprised of two parallel LC resonators for obtaining two transmission zeros. It was designed by using 2D circuit and 3D EM simulators for finding out optimal geometries and verifying their applicability. It exhibited an insertion loss of max -1.7dB and return loss of min -l7dB. The two transmission zeros were observed at 1.85 and 6.7GHz, respectively. In the low frequency band of $1.8GHz{\sim}1.9GHz$, the stop band suppression of min -23dB was achieved. In the high frequency band of $4.1GHz{\sim}5.4GHz$, the stop band suppression of min -l8dB was obtained. It was the first embedded and the smallest one of the filters formed into the organic packaging substrate. It has a size of $2.2{\times}1.8{\times}0.77mm^3$.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.19-23
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• 2004

A novel method of high speed, accurate circuit simulation in 3-dimensional (3-D) parallel-plate capacitors is investigated. The basic concept of the circuit simulation methods is partial element equivalent circuit model. The three test structures of 3-D parallel-plate capacitors are fabricated by using multi-layer low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) process and their S-parameters are measured between 50 MHz and 5 GHz. S-parameters are converted to Y-parameters, for comparing measured data with simulated data. The circuit model parameters of the each building block are optimized and extracted using HSPICE circuit simulator. This method is convenient and accurate so that circuit design applications can be easily manipulated.