3D Integration and Packaging of mm Wave Circuits and Antennas: Opportunities and Challenges

3D integration came as a response to the requirements of high performance and small footprint electronic devices. Today, the need for more heterogeneous integration schemes with increased functionalities becomes more obvious as the three worlds of digital, analog/mixed-signal (AMS) and RF electronics are converging. High performance computing, military, aerospace and medical devices stand among the market drivers for 3D integration technologies. While these niche applications can afford the relatively high cost of low volume customization, efforts are now focused on bringing vertical stacking and packaging solutions to mainstream and high volume applications for portable devices, entertainment and automobiles.