Techniques for Mounting a Millimeter Wave Antenna and a Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit Onto a PCB

1 . A method for mounting a millimeter wave antenna and a radio frequency integrated circuit (RF IC) onto a printed circuit board (PCB), comprising:

forming a square-shaped cavity in the PCB wherein one of edges of the cavity is substantially parallel to connecting pins of the millimeter wave antenna, wherein the millimeter wave antenna is printed on a first substrate layer of the PCB;

placing the RF IC in the cavity by positioning one side of the RF IC including RF pads substantially at the edge of the cavity that is substantially parallel to the connecting pins; and

bonding the RF pads and the connecting pins.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a depth of the cavity is substantially the same as a height of the RF IC.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the RF pads include inputs and outputs of RF signals to the RF IC.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the RF IC is in a form of a silicon die.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the millimeter wave antenna operates in millimeter wave bands including at least one of: 60 GHz and 77 GHz.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the millimeter wave antenna is at least a quasi-omni printed dipole antenna.

7 . A printed circuit board (PCB) assembled to include at least one millimeter wave antenna and a radio frequency integrated circuit (RF IC), comprising:

a square-shaped cavity in the PCB, wherein one edge of the cavity is substantially parallel to connecting pins of the at least one millimeter wave antenna;

a RF IC placed in the cavity, wherein one side of the RF IC including RF pads is substantially at the edge of the cavity that is substantially parallel to the connecting pins, wherein the millimeter wave antenna is printed on a first substrate layer of the PCB; and

traces connecting the RF pads and the connecting pins, wherein the connection between the at least one millimeter wave antenna and the RF IC shortens the length of the traces.

8 . The PCB of claim 7 , wherein a depth of the cavity is substantially the same as a height of the RF IC.

9 . The PCB of claim 7 , wherein the RF pads include inputs and outputs of RF signals to the RF IC.

10 . The PCB of claim 7 , wherein the RF IC is in a form of a silicon die.

11 . The PCB of claim 7 , wherein the millimeter wave antenna operates in millimeter wave bands including at least one of: 60 GHz and 77 GHz.

12 . The PCB of claim 7 , wherein the millimeter wave antenna is at least a qusi-omni printed dipole antenna.

13 . The PCB of claim 12 , wherein the millimeter wave antenna comprises a pair of quasi-omni printed dipole antennas printed in opposite directions with reference to the RF IC, wherein the pair of quasi-omni printed dipole antennas together provide spectrum coverage of 360 degrees.

14 . A quasi-omni printed dipole antenna comprising:

two dipole strips printed on a first substrate layer of a printed circuit board (PCB);

a transmission line printed on the first substrate layer and between the two dipole strips; and

a cavity directly under the two dipole strips, wherein a perimeter of the cavity is substantially the same as the perimeter of the two dipole strips and a depth of the cavity is a number of substrate layers of the PCB under the first substrate layer.

15 . The antenna of claim 14 , wherein spectrum coverage of the quasi-omni printed dipole antenna is 180 degrees.