A 3D TSV-MEMS Based Heterogeneous Integration Technology for RF Application

Advanced radio frequency systems demand better performance in more compact volume, especially in high frequency and broad bandwidth applications. In this paper, we present a 3D TSV-MEMS based heterogeneous integration technology for radio frequency microsystem. Up to four layers of silicon interposers fabricated by MEMS technology can be stacked vertically in this configuration. MEMS based filters can be integrated within silicon interposers, providing ultimate radio frequency performance. A 6-channel 6–18 GHz switchable filter bank is presented in this paper to demonstrate the 3D TSV - MEMS based architecture. The size of the switchable filter bank is 20 mm × 11 mm × 1 mm, only 1.5% in volume comparing to its conventional counterpart. This architecture is not limited to switchable filter banks. It is suitable for more complex radio frequency systems up to 60 GHz.