MICRO ASSEMBLED HIGH FREQUENCY DEVICES AND ARRAYS

摘要

Phased-array antenna systems can be constructed using transfer printed active components. Phased-array antenna systems benefit from a large number of radiating elements (e.g., more radiating elements can form sharper, narrower beams (higher gain)). As the number of radiating elements increases, the size of the part and the cost of assembly increases. High throughput micro assembly (e.g. by micro-transfer printing) mitigates costs associated with high part-count. Micro assembly is advantaged over monolithic approaches that form multiple radiating elements on a semiconductor wafer because micro assembly uses less semiconductor material to provide the active components that are necessary for the array. The density of active components on the phased-array antenna system is small. Micro assembly provides a way to efficiently use semiconductor material on a phased array, reducing the amount of non-active semiconductor area (e.g., the area on the semiconductor material that does not include transistors, diodes, or other active components).

主权项

1. A method of forming a phased-array antenna structure using printed micro assembled active components, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of antennas on a destination substrate; forming a plurality of amplifiers on a first substrate; forming a plurality of phase-control devices on a second substrate; contacting the first substrate with an etchant, thereby removing at least one of a portion of a first sacrificial layer underneath the plurality of amplifiers and forming a plurality of printable amplifiers, each printable amplifier connected to the first substrate by one or more tethers; contacting the second substrate with an etchant, thereby removing at least one of a portion of a second sacrificial layer underneath the plurality of phase-control devices and forming a plurality of printable phase-control devices, each printable phase-control device connected to the second substrate by one or more tethers; exposing at least a portion of the plurality of printable amplifiers and plurality of printable phase-control devices to chemical agents for conditioning or processing the newly exposed surfaces of the plurality of printable amplifiers and plurality of printable phase-control devices; and transferring, by micro assembly, at least a portion of the plurality of printable amplifiers and plurality of printable phase-control devices to the destination substrate and electrically interconnecting the antennas, the amplifiers, and the phase-control devices, to thereby form a phased-array antenna system using an array of high-frequency micro-scale devices from multiple source wafers.