System-in-a-package integration of SAW RF Rx filter stacked on a transceiver chip

Demands for mobile phones with smaller form factor and lower cost have driven enhanced integration of electronics components. However, surface acoustic wave (SAW) filters must be fabricated on piezoelectric substrates, and so they are difficult to monolithically integrate on semiconductor chips. This paper reports on a compact wafer-scale packaged SAW filter stacked over a transceiver chip in a quad flat-pack no-lead (QFN) package. An integrated passive device (IPD) provided redistribution and matching between the SAW filter output and the transceiver input. Both extended global system for mobile communications (EGSM) and DCS filters were evaluated. Results demonstrated that conventional packaging techniques could be used to successfully assemble stacked SAW on transceiver modules without damage. SAW compact models based on the coupling of modes model were developed to facilitate system design. Electromagnetic simulations of coupling between SAW filters and inductors integrated on the transceiver suggested that design care is needed to avoid interactions, especially if an IPD is not used as a spacer. With appropriate design, stacked SAW filter on transceiver offers viable module integration.