Research On Key Technology Of Microwave Transceiver Component Based On LTCC Technology

T/R modules are an essential part of the solid-state active phased array radar and play a significant role in today's phased array radar system. With the continuous development of communications technology and the ongoing enhancement of military equipment levels,the weight, volume and performance of T/R modules have also received more and more attention, in particular microwave T/R modules used in a variety of weapons systems such as in satellites, missiles, airplanes and individual soldiers, which are developing rapidly towards smaller, lighter, shorter and thinner ones with low cost, high reliability and high performance. MCM (MCM,multi-chip module) is an effective way to make a smaller microwave T/R module with high performance, low cost and high reliability. And of a variety of methods for MCM, LTCC multilayer substrate (LTCC,Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic) is the most widely used thanks to its unique advantages. T/R modules that are based on LTCC substrate technology have become a new trend in the development of T/R modules. This paper, based on access to a large number of domestic and foreign documents and theoretical analysis, has conducted a research in the following aspects.1. 3D electromagnetic field simulation based on LTCC Substrates: 3D electromagnetic field simulation software Ansoft HFSS is used to simulate microwave transmission properties of LTCC substrate materials and embedded inductors and embedded capacitors of LTCC. Meanwhile, Ansoft Designer software, together with the Ansoft HFSS software, has been used for co-simulation to extract the effective parameters and parasitic parameters of embedded inductors and embedded capacitors of LTCC.2. The development of a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) based on LTCC substrate: Ansoft Designer and Ansoft HFSS have been used for co-simulation and optimization and a VCO based on LTCC substrate has been developed. Two capacitors and one inductor, which are used to tune the oscillation frequency of the oscillator, and two capacitors which are used for feedback, are embodied in the LTCC substrate while three DC biasing resistors are placed on the LTCC substrate. The working frequency of VCO is 1000-1200MHz and the power output, if within the working frequency range, is above 10 dBm and the phase noise is less than-112.2 when at 10KHz dBc/Hz. The VCO has also embedded a low-pass filter in the LTCC substrate to realize effective suppression of harmonic. The maximum harmonic output power is less than -10dBm.3. The development of T/R modules based on the LTCC substrate: By making use of the advantage that LTCC technology is able to achieve the high density system packaging on a single co-fired substrate, we design and develop a T/R module with a bandwidth of 9-10GHz based on a LTCC substrate. In the designing of the module, the first step is to analyze the indicators, and then select components, do structural designs, heat simulations and project demonstration. And the final step is to assemble the components and do the testing. The LTCC substrate, which was made by the LTCC processing line of the 13th Institute of China Electronic Technology Group, is composed of eight-layer medium, including the intermediate layer, the signal layer, the power layer, etc. In addition to the wilkinson power divider, many resistors are also integrated into the substrate. The gain of the emitting branch is more than 40dB while the output power exceeds 20W; and it's reported that this is the largest power for this frequency range at such a small size. Within the whole frequency range, the gain of the receiving branch is over 25dB and the noise factor is less than or equal to 3.1dB. The module size as a whole is 100×30×3mm3. The T/R module based on LTCC is about three-fourths the volume of a single-layer board with the same function.The paper has simulated the microwave transmission properties of LTCC material, elaborated on VCO and TR modules based on LTCC substrates, and finally summed up the problems and drawbacks arising in the development process, and come up with the prospects on the future work.