Localized enhancement of multilayer substrate thickness for high Q RF components
An exemplary system and method for providing differential adjustment of the height of a multilayer substrate in localized areas for improved Q-factor performance of RF devices is disclosed as comprising inter alia: a multilayer substrate ( 200 ); an RF component ( 210 ) embedded in the substrate ( 200 ); a surface mounted component ( 220 ); and an RF shield ( 260 ) disposed next to the surface mounted component ( 220 ), wherein the height of the shield ( 260 ) does not extend substantially beyond the height of the surface mounted component ( 220 ). Disclosed features and specifications may be variously controlled, configured, adapted or otherwise optionally modified to further improve or otherwise optimize Q, RF performance and/or material characteristics. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention representatively provide for high-performance, high-quality RF devices that may be readily incorporated with existing technologies for the improvement of frequency response, device package form factors, weights and/or other manufacturing, device or material performance metrics.
1. An RF shielding device for improving the Q-factor of a resonator component, comprising:
a multilayer substrate including a first portion and a second portion;
at least one surface mounted component positioned on the first portion;
an RF component at least partially embedded in said first portion of said substrate and having a first Q-factor;
a shield component disposed directly on and extending above the second portion, wherein the height of said shield component does not substantially extend effectively beyond the height of a tallest surface mounted component disposed on said first portion;
said second portion of the substrate comprising a bottom surface and sidewall vias; and
said shield suitably adapted to engage with said vias of said multilayer substrate in order to effectively define a substantially enclosed RF volume including the second portion and an area defined by the shield component adjacent the second portion; and
a resonator component at least partially embedded in the second portion and having a second Q-factor partially determined by the enclosed RF volume.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein said vias comprise a plurality of substantially orthogonal planar walls.
3. The device of claim 1 , wherein said vias comprise a substantially curvilinear surface.
4. The device of claim 1 , further comprising an opening to permit tuning of an electronic component enclosed therein.
5. The device of claim 1 , wherein said area comprises at least one of a dielectric and ferrite.
6. The device of claim 5 wherein the area further comprises integrated electronics.
7. A device manufactured in accordance with the following method:
providing a multilayer substrate having a first region and a second region;
providing at least one surface mounted component on the first region surface;
providing an RF component at least partially embedded in said first region of said substrate and having a first Q-factor;
providing a shield component disposed directly on and extending above said second region regions, wherein the height of said shield component does not substantially extend effectively beyond the height of a tallest surface mounted component disposed on said first region;
said second region comprising a bottom surface and sidewall vias;
said sidewall vias suitably adapted to connect said shield component with said bottom surface in order to effectively define a substantially enclosed RF volume; and
providing a resonator component at least partially embedded in the second region within the enclosed RF volume and having a second Q-factor partially determined by the enclosed RF volume.
8. The device of claim 7 , wherein:
the height of said substrate is up to about 1.0 mm;
the height of said tallest surface mounted component is up to about 1.0 mm; and
the height of said shielding component is up to about 1.0 mm.
9. The device of claim 7 , wherein said surface mounted components comprise semiconductor devices.
10. The device of claim 7 , wherein said multilayer substrate comprises at least one of a ceramic and LTCC.
11. The device of claim 7 , wherein said shielded electronic component comprises at least one of a capacitor, a tunable capacitor, a phase-shifter, an EM reflection lens, a varactor, an oscillator, a voltage control oscillator, a filter, a tunable filter, a frequency mixer, a frequency multiplier, a phase-array antenna, a resonator, and a stripline resonator.
12. The device of claim 7 further comprising forming one of a dielectric and a ferrite material within the enclosed volume adjacent the substrate.
13. The device of claim 12 further comprising integrating electronics within the one of the dielectric and the ferrite material.