Flip-Chip Modules for Millimeter-Wave Sensor Applications

In this paper the design of a W-band flip-chip (FC) sensor module is presented. The module incorporates two MMICs, a voltage controlled oscillator and a transceiver/receiver. Coplanar waveguides are used on the MMICs and the substrate. The FC interconnection is based on a thermocompression process with gold bumps. Through several experiments, the behavior of the MMICs related to different packaging conditions is investigated. By minimizing parasitic effects, the flip-chip approach proved to be very attractive for assembling large MMICs with multiple integrated functions.