HIGHLY-INTEGRATED AND EFFICIENT MILLIMETRE-WAVE PHASED ARRAY ANTENNA USING ADVANCED PACKAGING SOLUTION (ARTES AT 5B.258)

Objective: The objective of the activity is to design, build and test a highly integrated and efficient millimetre-wave phased array antenna using advanced packaging solution for multi-chip,multi-technology assembly, including 3-dimensional heterogeneous integration interconnects, thermal and power management.Targeted Improvements:Enabling disruptive technology to enable thermal management of highly integrated phased arrays, with a twice the RF power handling capability.Description: The development and deployment of millimetre-wave phased array antennas present several challenges that can reduce their efficiency and performance. These challenges include low RF power per element across different orbits (Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), and Geostationary EarthOrbit (GEO)) due to the use of silicon chips and the inefficiency in thermal management. Further limitations are introduced by the use of 2D packaging, which prevents the integration of high-power handling capabilities and enhanced thermal management technologies.The power efficiency and dependability of the antenna are reduced by signal strength degradation caused by the low RF output power per element. These performance issues directly affect satellite-to-ground communication as well as intersatellite communication.Toovercome these limitations, transitioning from 2D to 3D Heterogeneous Integration (3DHI) interconnect technology can significantly improve the thermal and power performance of phased array antennas. By stacking components vertically, more space can be allocated for effective thermal management, and the integration of multiple layers with thermal vias allows for better heat dissipation. This approach also enables the integration of diverse materials and technologies within the same package. Novel materials like Gallium Nitride (GaN) and Silicon Carbide (SiC) offer superior thermal conductivity and higher power handling capabilities compared to traditional silicon. Incorporating thesematerials into the antenna array, using an Integrated Antenna-on-Chip (AoC) approach, can increase the RF power per element while alleviating thermal constraints.This activity will be implemented in a phased approach:- Phase 1 will develop an antenna concept, investigate and develop key processes necessary to fabricate a millimetre-wave 3DHI active antenna.This includes integrating low-power silicon chips, RF power amplifiers, thermal management solutions and advanced packaging techniques. During this phase, critical components will be developed to breadboard level to assess the effectiveness of 3D packaging methods, such as vertical integration and thermal vias, in addressing thermal dissipation and RF power handling challenges. Phase 1 outputwill deliver an antenna concept supported by critical breadboard test results. The budget for Phase 1 is up to 1,000 kEuro.- Phase2 will focus on developing a scaled engineering model of a millimetre-wave phased array antenna using 3DHI technology in Q, V, orW-Bands. Phase 2 will include refining the design, manufacturing, and testing the antenna's performance in representative operational environments.