Low cost QFN package design for millimeter-wave applications

This paper focuses on the design and development of a low-cost QFN package that is based on wirebond interconnects. One of the design goals is to extend the frequency at which the package can be used to 40-50 GHz (above the K band), in the millimeter-wave range. Owing to the use of mass production assembly protocols and materials, such as commercially available QFN in a mold compound, the design that is outlined in this paper significantly reduces the cost of assembly of millimeter wave modules. To operate the package at 50 GHz or a higher frequency, several key design features are proposed. They include the use of through vias (backside vias) and ground bondwires to provide ground return currents. This paper also provides rigorous validation steps that we took to obtain the key high frequency characteristics. Since a molding compound is used in conventional QFN packages, the material and its effectiveness in determining the signal propagation have to be incorporated in the overall design. However, the mold compound creates some extra challenges in the de-embedding task. For example, the mold compound must be removed to expose the probing pads so the effect of the microstrip on the GaAs chip can be obtained and de-embedded. Careful simulation and experimental validation reveal that the proposed QFN design achieves a return loss of -10 dB and an insertion loss of -1.5 dB up to 50 GHz.