Ku-band T/R Module Design And Research Based On LTCC Technology

Based on Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramics (LTCC) technology, this paper carries out certain exploration to achieve higher performances of Ku-band T/R module, such as high performance, miniaturization, high reliability, and so on. Several key technologies including theoretical analysis, module production, simulation, verification and system optimization are carried on in connection with T/R module. Three dimensional integration of entire module is realized.15.5GHz T/R module system block diagram is determined according to the identified key system parameters. All the passive circuits applied to the T/R module including filter, power divider, interconnection module, limiter circuit, are designed based on LTCC technology by Ansoft HFSS software and Agilent AppCAD software. The entire module is achieved in 15-layer LTCC substrate. It is LTCC technology and the layout of entire chip that are considered to design system modules. Active chips are surface mounted on the LTCC substrate, passive modules are mainly embedded in the LTCC substrate, the overall ground is put into the tenth layer, via fence is put among different modules. All the measures are mainly to effectively achieve isolation and to reduce EMI and EMC of the whole module.The entire circuit system is carried out co-simulation and optimization by Ansoft Designer software. The simulation results are as follows, the noise figure, gain and sensitivity of the receiver is about 3.5dB, 26.3dB, -70dBm respectively; the gain and harmonic suppression of the transmitter is about 28.5dB, 45dBc, and it is absolutely in the stable region. The difference of the T/R fractional bandwidth between simulation and design is less than 15%. The area of the module is about 2.5cm* 3cm.