Comparison of LTCC inductors on different substrate configurations with PCB inductor
Abstract
Purpose
This paper presents performance comparison of RF inductors with the same lateral geometry applying different substrate configurations. The purpose of presented research is to demonstrate and verify some advantages of low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) technology in comparison to printed circuit board (PCB) technology based on the performance analysis of presented inductors in lower RF range.
Design/methodology/approach
The presented inductors are meander structures fabricated in LTCC and PCB technology, with same line width and outer dimensions. Performance analysis of all configurations is based on measurement results and numerical simulations. Advantage of LTCC technology is demonstrated by application of substrate pattering in order to maintain and/or improve expected inductor performances.
Findings
As expected, obtained results for the inductor with an air-gap show increase of the quality factor over 30 percent and widening of the operating frequency range by 50 percent when compared with the same LTCC structure without a gap. But what is more important the inductor with air-gap embedded inside LTCC stack maintains efficiency when compared to PCB inductor. This fact offers possibility of integration good quality components inside LTCC stack and reduction of used chip space.
Originality/value
Advantages of LTCC with respect to PCB design are demonstrated by efficiency increase of the proposed inductor configurations by means of design optimization relying on substrate pattering and incensement of the packaging density by embedding inductors. The presented findings are verified through consistency of measurement results and simulated data.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work is supported by Ministry of Science and Technological Development, Serbia through the project TR-32016 and is integrated in Scientific and Technological Co-operation between Austria and Romania 2012-2013 (development of environment sensors with LTCC technology, project number RO 10/2012).
Citation
M. Maric, A., J. Radosavljevic, G., Smetana, W. and D. Zivanov, L. (2014), "Comparison of LTCC inductors on different substrate configurations with PCB inductor", Microelectronics International, Vol. 31 No. 1, pp. 32-41. https://doi.org/10.1108/MI-04-2013-0017
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited