Radio-frequency device with radio-frequency signal carrying element and associated production method
A radio-frequency device comprises a radio-frequency chip, a first connecting element arranged over a chip surface of the radio-frequency chip, the first connecting element being designed to mechanically and electrically connect the radio-frequency chip to a circuit board, and a radio-frequency signal carrying element arranged over the chip surface and electrically coupled to the radio-frequency chip, the radio-frequency signal carrying element being covered by an electrically nonconductive material and being designed to transmit a signal in a direction parallel to the chip surface, wherein the first connecting element and the radio-frequency signal carrying element are arranged at a same level in relation to a direction perpendicular to the chip surface, and wherein the first connecting element is spaced apart from the radio-frequency signal carrying element by way of a region that is free of the electrically nonconductive material.
1. A radio-frequency device, comprising:
a radio-frequency chip;
a first connecting element arranged over a chip surface of the radio-frequency chip, the first connecting element being configured to mechanically and electrically connect the radio-frequency chip to a circuit board;
a radio-frequency signal carrying element arranged over the chip surface and electrically coupled to the radio-frequency chip, the radio-frequency signal carrying element being covered by an electrically nonconductive material and being configured to transmit a signal in a direction parallel to the chip surface,
wherein the first connecting element and the radio-frequency signal carrying element are arranged at a same level in relation to a direction perpendicular to the chip surface, and
wherein the first connecting element is spaced apart from the radio-frequency signal carrying element by way of a region that is free of the electrically nonconductive material,
wherein the radio-frequency signal carrying element and the radio-frequency chip are mechanically and electrically connected via a second connecting element,
wherein the first connecting element has a larger extent than the second connecting element in relation to a direction perpendicular to the chip surface,
wherein the first connecting element is arranged between the radio-frequency chip and the circuit board, and
wherein the radio-frequency signal carrying element is arranged between the second connecting element and the circuit board.
2. The radio-frequency device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the radio-frequency signal carrying element comprises a radiation element.
3. The radio-frequency device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the radio-frequency signal carrying element is covered by a dielectric substrate and has at least one structured metal layer arranged over a surface of the dielectric substrate, wherein the structured metal layer forms the radiation element.
4. The radio-frequency device as claimed claim 1 , wherein the first connecting element has a larger extent than the radio-frequency signal carrying element in relation to a direction perpendicular to the chip surface.
5. The radio-frequency device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the radio-frequency signal carrying element has a larger extent than the first connecting element in relation to a direction parallel to the chip surface.
6. The radio-frequency device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the radio-frequency chip is configured to operate at a frequency of greater than 1 GHz, and
the radio-frequency signal carrying element is configured to transmit a signal having a frequency of greater than 1 GHz.
7. The radio-frequency device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first connecting element is configured to transmit a signal having a frequency of less than 1 GHz.
8. The radio-frequency device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first connecting element is configured to provide a thermal path perpendicular to the chip surface in a direction away from the radio-frequency chip.
9. The radio-frequency device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the radio-frequency signal carrying element and the radio-frequency chip are mechanically and electrically connected via a second connecting element.
10. The radio-frequency device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the first connecting element has a larger extent than the second connecting element in relation to a direction perpendicular to the chip surface.
11. The radio-frequency device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the radio-frequency signal carrying element and the radio-frequency chip are electrically coupled in a contactless fashion.
12. The radio-frequency device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the radio-frequency signal carrying element projects beyond a contour of the radio-frequency chip in a plan view of the chip surface.
13. The radio-frequency device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the radio-frequency signal carrying element has a frame-shaped structure along a contour of the radio-frequency chip in a plan view of the chip surface.
14. The radio-frequency device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the radio-frequency signal carrying element covers radio-frequency connections of the radio-frequency device in a plan view of the chip surface.
15. The radio-frequency device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the radio-frequency signal carrying element comprises a daughterboard configured to mechanically and electrically connect the radio-frequency device to the circuit board.
16. The radio-frequency device as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the daughterboard is configured to transmit a radio-frequency signal from a first surface of the daughterboard through the daughterboard to an opposite surface of the daughterboard.
17. The radio-frequency device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a third connecting element arranged on a surface of the radio-frequency signal carrying element facing away from the chip surface, wherein the third connecting element is configured to mechanically and electrically connect the radio-frequency signal carrying element to the circuit board.
18. The radio-frequency device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the radio-frequency chip is mechanically and electrically connected to the circuit board via the first connecting element; and
the radio-frequency device further comprising:
a gap formed between the circuit board and the radio-frequency chip, wherein the first connecting element and the radio-frequency signal carrying element are arranged in the gap.
19. The radio-frequency device as claimed in claim 18 , wherein a surface of the circuit board that is arranged below the radio-frequency chip and faces the radio-frequency chip is free of radio-frequency-conducting structures.
20. A method for producing radio-frequency devices, wherein the method comprises:
arranging a plurality of radio-frequency chips, wherein each of the radio-frequency chips comprises a first connecting element arranged over a respective chip surface, the first connecting element being configured to mechanically and electrically connect the respective radio-frequency chip to a circuit board;
arranging a panel having a plurality of radio-frequency signal carrying elements over chip surfaces of the radio-frequency chips,
wherein the plurality of radio-frequency signal carrying elements are each covered by an electrically nonconductive material and configured to transmit a signal in a direction parallel to the respective chip surface; and
singulating the panel, wherein a plurality of radio-frequency devices are obtained, wherein each of the plurality of radio-frequency devices comprises at least one radio-frequency chip, the first connecting element and a radio-frequency signal carrying element,
wherein the first connecting element and the radio-frequency signal carrying element are arranged at a same level in relation to a direction perpendicular to the chip surface, and
wherein the first connecting element is spaced apart from the radio-frequency signal carrying element by way of a region that is free of the electrically nonconductive material,
wherein the radio-frequency signal carrying element and the radio-frequency device are mechanically and electrically connected via a second connecting element,
wherein the first connecting element has a larger extent than the second connecting element in relation to a direction perpendicular to the chip surface,
wherein the first connecting element is arranged between the radio-frequency chip and the circuit board, and
wherein the radio-frequency signal carrying element is arranged between the second connecting element and the circuit board.
21. The method as claimed in claim 20 , wherein the plurality of radio-frequency chips are arranged in a first checkered pattern.
22. The method as claimed in claim 21 , wherein the respective chip surface is a first respective chip surface,
wherein the respective radio-frequency chip is a first respective radio-frequency chip, and
wherein the method further comprises:
arranging other radio-frequency chips in a second, inverse checkered pattern with respect to the first checkered pattern, wherein each of the other radio-frequency chips comprises a third connecting element arranged over a second respective chip surface, the third connecting element being configured to mechanically and electrically connect a second respective radio-frequency chip to the circuit board; and
arranging the panel over the chip surfaces of the other radio-frequency chips.
23. The method as claimed in claim 20 , wherein a radio-frequency signal carrying element, of the plurality of radio-frequency signal carrying elements, includes a metal layer designed to match coefficient of thermal expansion of a radio-frequency package with the radio-frequency signal carrying element.