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IDTechEx Discusses Advancing Integration in Antenna Packaging Technologies for 5G and 6G

Shannon Davis

By Dr Yu-Han Chang, Senior Technology Analyst at IDTechEx

Millimeter-wave (mmWave), previously confined to military, satellite, and automotive radar applications, has now entered the mobile communications frequency spectrum, offering high data throughput of up to 20 Gbps with an ultralow latency of just 1 ms. This shift necessitates innovative technological advancements across devices, including RF and optical components, low-loss materials, and advanced semiconductor packaging technologies. Among these innovations, packaging stands out as a critical area requiring significant development. It is the key focus of IDTechEx’s brand new report “Antenna in Package (AiP) for 5G and 6G 2024-2034: Technologies, Trends, Markets”.

Antenna-in-package (AiP) represents an advanced antenna packaging technology utilized in high-frequency telecommunications. Leveraging the short wavelengths of mmWave applications, AiP enables the creation of significantly smaller antennas that can be seamlessly integrated directly into semiconductor packages, unlike traditional discrete antennas assembled as individual components on PCB. This integration of the antenna with the transceiver on a single chip offers a host of advantages, including enhanced antenna performance and greatly reduced package footprints. Advancing into the sub-THz range, potentially within the spectrum of 6G, research is underway on new antenna packaging technologies aimed at integrating antennas directly onto RF components. However, this area is still in the research phase due to various manufacturing and scalability challenges.

Overview of antenna packaging technologies vs operational frequency. Source: IDTechEx – “Antenna in Package (AiP) for 5G and 6G 2024-2034: Technologies, Trends, Markets”

Key design considerations for AiP

In the development of AiP technology for high-frequency communication devices, cost-effectiveness emerges as the utmost crucial consideration. With a target price of US$2 per 1×1 AiP module, affordability becomes pivotal for widespread adoption, although this presents a chicken-and-egg challenge where adoption must precede cost reduction through economies of scale. Utilizing cost-effective packaging materials and processes is essential. Additionally, miniaturization plays a critical role, especially for integration into consumer devices like smartphones, where component size is paramount. Ensuring that package size can be shrunk while maintaining performance and cost-effectiveness necessitates leveraging new packaging technologies.

Moreover, achieving high performance is vital for AiP platforms. This entails the fabrication and integration of high-gain, broadband mmWave antenna arrays, along with ensuring intra-system electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). Additionally, optimizing equivalent isotropic radiated power (EIRP) and ensuring signal integrity (SI) and power integrity (PI) are crucial aspects. Integrating high-quality factor (Q factor) passives to co-design active mmWave front-end transceiver components further enhances performance. Furthermore, reliability is essential, necessitating a direct thermal passage from the chip to the exterior to dissipate heat from power amplifiers. Scalability adds another layer of versatility, enabling the design of basic modules that can be upscaled to meet various applications with different power requirements. Addressing all these requirements is essential when designing an AiP module for high-frequency communication devices. Questions such as the choice of antenna element, substrate technology, substrate materials, limitations of each substrate technology, integration of passive devices, and supply chain maturity are all explored in IDTechEx’s “Antenna in Package (AiP) for 5G and 6G 2024-2034: Technologies, Trends, Markets” report.

This new IDTechEx report delves into AiP technologies tailored for 5G mmWave and emerging 6G networks. It analyzes substrate technologies, including organic, LTCC, and glass, alongside packaging methods such as flip-chip and fan-out, from material properties to manufacturing feasibility. The report explores antenna integration beyond 100 GHz, offering case studies and addressing prevalent challenges, projecting a future driven by advanced semiconductor packaging solutions.

Key aspects of the report include:

Overview of 5G mmWave Development and 6G Roadmap:

Deep Dive into Beamforming Technologies Enabled by Phased Array Antenna for 5G mmWave:

Antenna Integration Technologies for 5G mmWave:

Antenna Integration Technologies for Applications Beyond 100 GHz:

10-year granular market forecast of:

To find out about this brand-new IDTechEx report, including downloadable sample pages, please visit www.IDTechEx.com/AiP.

Upcoming free-to-attend webinar

Exploring Antenna Packaging Technologies: From 5G mmWave to 6G

Dr Yu-Han Chang, Senior Technology Analyst at IDTechEx and author of this article, will be presenting a free-to-attend webinar on the topic on Thursday 14 March 2024 – Exploring Antenna Packaging Technologies: From 5G mmWave to 6G.

This webinar will include:

Please click here to check the timings and register for your specific time zone. If you are unable to make the date, please register anyway to receive the links to the on-demand recording (available for a limited time) and webinar slides as soon as they are available.

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