A compact single band 802.11 n front-end module for MIMO applications using multi-layer organic technology

Abstract

This paper presents a novel module technology for 802.11 b/g/n applications. As an example, the authors demonstrate the first 6mm x 8mm x 1mm module which includes four antenna ports, three receive sections, and two transmit sections. The need for such modules has become imminent due to the arrival of multiple input multiple output (MIMO) based high data rate devices. The packaging technology used is multi-layer organic (MLO) technology comprising high performance liquid crystalline polymers (LCP). The transmit (TX) section includes embedded filters and baluns, silicon germanium (SiGe) based power amplifiers with control circuitry, harmonic filters, power detectors and single pole double throw switches. Similarly, the receive (RX) section includes embedded cellular rejection filters, low noise SiGe based amplifiers, and switches. Key features of the module consists of less than 3% EVM, < 160mA of current and less than 50dbm/MHz harmonics at 19dbm output power. The transmit filter baluns before the power amplifiers provide for greater than 25db rejection of cellular frequencies below 2GHz and transceiver spurs above 3GHz. The RX sections provides greater than 12db gain with 2.5db noise figure, and superior rejection of cellular frequencies. Finally, the isolation chain to chain (RX to RX and TX to TX) is greater than 25db which is imperative for MIMO performance.