Integrated-Circuit Antennas On Thin Membranes

Gabriel M. Rebeiz; Wade G. Regehr; Richard C. Compton; David B. Rutledge; Richard L. Savage; Neville C. Luhmann Jr.

doi:10.1117/12.940798

24 September 1987 Integrated-Circuit Antennas On Thin Membranes

Gabriel M. Rebeiz, Wade G. Regehr, Richard C. Compton, David B. Rutledge, Richard L. Savage, Neville C. Luhmann Jr.

Proceedings Volume 0791, Millimeter Wave Technology IV and RF Power Sources; (1987) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.940798
Event: 1987 Technical Symposium Southeast on Optics, Electro-Optics, and Sensors, 1987, Orlando, FL, United States

Abstract

Abstract: At millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths, integrated-circuit antennas are often mounted on a substrate lens to eliminate losses due to substrate modes. This approach takes advantage of the fact that antennas on dielectrics are more sensitive to radiation from the substrate side. However, coupling efficiencies for these antennas have been limited to about 25% because of poor patterns and dielectric losses. We have solved these problems by fabricating the antennas on 1-μm thick silicon-oxynitride membranes (below left). The membranes are fabricated by depositing a 1-μm silicon-oxynitride layer on both sides of a <100> silicon wafer by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. An opening is defined on the back of the wafer by patterning the silicon oxynitride with photoresist and etching it in a buffered-HF solution. Then the silicon is etched in an ethylenediamine-pyrocatechol solution until the transparent membrane is exposed. The membrane is much thinner than a wavelength, so that the antenna effectively radiates in free space. This approach eliminates the substrate lens and thus greatly reduces the dielectric losses, and allows the use of free-space antenna designs and techniques. The antenna patterns are bidirectional, so a reflector is needed to make the patterns unidirectional. The peak of the pattern is normal to the wafer.

Citation Download Citation

Gabriel M. Rebeiz, Wade G. Regehr, Richard C. Compton, David B. Rutledge, Richard L. Savage, and Neville C. Luhmann Jr. "Integrated-Circuit Antennas On Thin Membranes", Proc. SPIE 0791, Millimeter Wave Technology IV and RF Power Sources, (24 September 1987); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.940798

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