December, 2020
www.us-tech.com
Chipset-Specific IPDs Simplify Next-Gen Wireless IoT Applications
Continued from previous page
serves as an impedance-matched balun filter. Manufactured using low-temperature cofired ceram- ic (LTCC) technology that allows the passive compo- nents to be layered, IPDs deliver the same function- ality as 10 to 40 individual RF components. With this approach, the entire front-end
between the chipset and the antenna is manufac- tured in a single, low-profile package that is less than 40 percent the total size of the same circuit comprised of discrete components. With this device, which combines an imped-
ance matching network, balun and a filter, the entire front-end RF circuitry is reduced to a single 0805 (2012 metric) SMT component. The impedance-matched balun filter is
designed to operate within the license-free 868 MHz RF band used in Europe and the 915 MHz band for Australia and the Americas. The product pairs seamlessly with Semtech’s LoRa and LoRa Smart Home™ RF transceivers SX1261, SX1262 and LLCC68. “The IPD is a plug-and-play solu-
tion for OEMs utilizing the Semtech LoRa chipsets,” says Carmona. “By working with leading manufacturers,
LTCC manufacturing allows circuits to be
embedded in as many as 40 separate layers in a three- dimensional package with a very low profile.
we complete all the R&D and ensure it is optimized for a specific chip. Not only will it work, but it will comply with any FCC and ETSI regulatory emissions requirements.” IPDs offer another significant
benefit: increased reliability. By cre- ating a literal circuit within a small LTCC package, variability and poten- tial points of failure are all but elimi- nated, as opposed to mounting many discrete components. “We have to guarantee that the
performance of this much smaller solution is equal or better than their larger discrete solution,” says Carmona. “So, each integrated pack- age is thoroughly 100-percent RF tested to ensure all the components are working properly and are inte- grated together.”
Material Development
LTCC manufacturing allows circuits to be embedded in as many as 40 sep- arate layers in a three-dimensional package with a very low profile. LTCC manufacturing allows circuits to be embedded in as many as 40 sep- arate layers in a three-dimensional package with a very low profile. According to Carmona, Johanson
Technology’s background in material development is the key to being able to create the entire circuit in such a small package. The product utilizes a novel proprietary ceramic material in an LTCC manufacturing process designed to improve performance to high-Q levels. The process to manufacture IPDs
is similar to the technology already used to create multi-layer SMD compo- nent parts, such as capacitors and inductors. However, LTCC manufac- turing allows the circuits to be embed- ded in as many as 40 separate layers in a three-dimensional package — still with a very low profile.
“We are a materials company first and fore-
most,” says Carmona. “We are constantly develop- ing new ceramic materials that will better inte- grate circuits, reduce power consumption, and eliminate power loss.”
Because IPDs require little board space, IoT devices with RF circuitry can be designed in much smaller form factors.
Because IPDs require little board space, IoT
devices with RF circuitry can be designed in much smaller form factors. “With PCB real estate at a prime, the size and placement of the passive com-
ponents are critical, because as everything gets smaller it becomes increasingly difficult to place more components on the board,” says Carmona. “Therefore, design engineers are looking to compo- nent manufacturers to deliver miniaturized solu- tions that occupy next to no real board space.” Beyond size, a smaller PCB can also impact
the aesthetics of a product, allowing for slim, low profiles. The elimination of components on a 10:1 or greater basis also reduces the overall weight of devices, even if that savings is measured in tenths of grams.
Contact: Johanson Dielectrics, 4001 Calle
Tecate, Camarilla, CA 93012 % 805-389-1166 E-mail:
antenna@johansondielectrics.com Web:
www.johansondielectrics.com r
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