Phoenix Section Workshop

Devices and Packaging for Wireless Communications

An All Day Workshop

Memorial Union Building, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona

Friday, December 3rd, 2004

Submitted by Vasudeva P. Atluri, Ph.D., Workshop Chair

IEEE Phoenix Section Components, Packaging, and Manufacturing Technology (CPMT) Society Chapter, and Waves and Devices (WAD) Chapter jointly held An All Day Workshop titled "Devices and Packaging for Wireless Communications" on Friday, December 3rd, 2004, at the Memorial Building located on the campus of Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona. The workshop was very well attended with about 171 registrants and 24 non-registrants. The breakdown of registrants included 19 organizing committee members, 12 speakers, 19 vendor representatives, 78 IEEE members (including 3 student members), and 60 non-members (including 3 students). Non-registrants included 24 vendor representatives who attended only to help with the vendor displays. The workshop agenda was as follows:

7:00 AM - 8:00 AM: Registration
7:50 AM - 8:00 AM: Introduction by Dr. Vasudeva P. Atluri, Intel Corporation, Chandler, Arizona.
8:00 AM - 9:45 AM: Morning Section I:
Chair: Dr. Dragan Zupac, Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., Tempe, Arizona.
Topic 1: "Keynote Presentation: Next Generation of Wireless Devices - Challenges and Issues", Presented by Dr. Sayfe Kiaei, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona.
Topic 2: "Research Toward More Flexible Radio Systems", Presented by Dr. Kevin C. Kahn, Intel Corporation, Hillsboro, Oregon.
Topic 3: "Silicon for Millimeter-Wave Wireless Applications", Presented by Dr. Modest M. Oprysko, IBM Research, Yorktown Heights, New York.
9:45 AM - 10:00 AM: Refreshment Break / Vendor Displays
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM: Morning Session II:
Chair: Mr. Steve Rockwell, Motorola, Inc., Tempe, Arizona.
Topic 4: "Nanoelectronics: Near-Term and Long-Term Opportunities", Presented by Dr. Stephen M. Goodnick, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona.
Topic 5: "Modeling and Characterization of Noise and Linearity for RFIC Design", Presented by Dr. Guofu Niu, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama.
Topic 6: "Wireless Communication Standards and Regulations", Presented by Dr. Michael J. Marcus, École Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications, Paris, France.
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM: Buffet Lunch / Vendor Displays
12:30 PM - 2:15 PM: Afternoon Session I:
Chair: Mr. Eric C. Palmer, Intel Corporation, Chandler, Arizona.
Topic 7: "Keynote Presentation: Systems-in-Package: Challenges and Directions for Communications and Wireless Products", Presented by Mr. Ken Brown, Intel Corporation, Chandler, Arizona.
Topic 8: "Integration of Passives", Presented by Mr. Dean P. Kossives, STATS ChipPAC, Inc., Tempe, Arizona.
Topic 9: "High Power RF Packaging for Wireless Infrastructure", by Dr. Mali Mahalingam, Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., Tempe, Arizona.
2:15 PM - 2:30 PM: Refreshment Break
2:30 PM - 4:00 PM: Afternoon Session II:
Chair: Mr. Sam Karikalan, STATS ChipPAC, Inc., Tempe, Arizona.
Topic 10: "Wafer Level Packaging for Wireless Applications", Presented by Dr. Luu Nguyen, National Semiconductor Corporation, Santa Clara, California.
Topic 11: "System Level Packaging for Wireless Applications", Presented by Dr. Amit Agrawal, Broadcom Corporation, San Jose, California.
Topic 12: "Keynote Presentation: Enabling Mobility: Future Wireless Technologies", Presented by Mr. Behrooz Abdi, Qualcomm Inc., Carlsbad, California.
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM: Panel Discussion Titled "Future Market Opportunities in Wireless Communications" Moderated by Dr. Charles E. Weitzel, Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., Tempe, Arizona.

The morning session focused on new wireless devices and applications, nanoelectronics, modeling, characterization, standards and regulations and was very well received by the workshop audience.
Dr. Sayfe Kiaei discussed various RF (Radio Frequency) front-end blocks to support multi-band wireless data transceivers as well as the design of high-Q MEMS resonators for front-end RF band-pass filters.
Dr. Kevin C. Kahn talked about research being pursued at Intel Corporation to better understand the design constraints toward creating more flexible radios that can be better integrated with other system elements and he also provided the motivations that drive this research. In addition, he emphasized that the issues of flexibility and integration increase the desirability of building radios with more flexibly.
Dr. Modest M. Oprysko suggested that we may be witnessing the birth of an entirely new application space for silicon technologies. He described the progress made at IBM Research in demonstrating some of the key circuit building blocks and functions required for a basic millimeter-wave radio using a gigabit per second wireless personal area networks operating in the 60 GHz Industrial Scientific Medical (ISM) band as an application driver. The results suggest that the next step of building an entire IQ transmitter and receiver on a chip is within reach.
Dr. Stephen M. Goodnick gave a review of near-term and long-term opportunities of Nanoelectronic Technologies with emphasis on developments in a variety of fields. These technologies included scaled semiconductor devices that are approaching the end of the road map in terms of Moore's law, nanodevice technologies that will complement with traditional semiconductor CMOS technology for high density memory and processing circuits, ultra-dense sensor arrays, and bio-compatible electronics for applications in biomedicine and bio-threat detection.
Dr. Guofu Niu reviewed the basics of broadband noise, low-frequency noise, phase noise, as well as their modeling and experimental characterization for both high-frequency SiGe HBT and CMOS RF technologies. The connections between process level parameters such as base resistance and 1/f noise K-factor, and system level parameters such as frequency synthesizer phase noise were established to facilitate process evaluation / qualification from a noise perspective. Optimal sizing and biasing for noise and linearity were discussed as well.
Dr. Michael J. Marcus stated that wireless technology differs from other electro-technologies in the large degree of government regulation in all countries, which affects the introduction of new technology and the evolution of existing ones. In addition to government regulations, wireless technologies are also governed by many non-governmental standards in order to assure interoperability. He suggested that in both regulations and standards, national and international organizations are involved. He gave an insight into the processes that are used for definition of standards and regulations across national and international standards organizations that are very important for many researchers in wireless technology.

The afternoon session focused on packaging, integration, enabling mobility, and a final panel discussion. Mr. Ken M. Brown described the emerging requirements, the packaging, and the packaging challenges needed for System-in-Package (SIP). He suggested that communication and wireless semiconductor products are now driving significant requirements for chip packaging. While System-on-Chip (SOC) has been deployed successfully, it is SIP that provides the more exciting backdrop for packaging.
Mr. Dean P. Kossives presented the challenges in SIP assembly and the use of imbedded passives in such commercial packages. He also focused on the state of the art of SIP assembly in a typical packaging foundry and briefly discussed the future directions such as passives on silicon substrates.
Dr. Mali Mahalingam focused on high power RF packaging to support the wireless infrastructure applications. He mentioned that thermal performance, RF electrical performance and stringent reliability requirements have traditionally played a vital role in influencing the choice of structures, interconnects, materials, and assembly processes practiced in high power RF packaging. He highlighted the challenges faced and how they were overcome at Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., with metal-ceramic and over-molded plastic packages for high power RF applications with continuous operation of device junction to 200ºC.
Dr. Luu T. Nguyen talked about wafer level-chip scale package growth requiring lower cost, smaller form factor, and increased performance. The talk highlighted the packaging trends and migration path of packages to WL-CSPs, and key issues in test. National Semiconductor Corporation's WL-CSP, the micro SMD package family, was presented as a case study. New developments in lead-free solders, thinner packages, pre-applied underfill, and wafer/die stacking were also discussed together with the ensuing challenges.
Dr. Amit P. Agrawal reviewed LTCC and organic substrate technology for wireless system/module design. The SIP technology, including antenna were discussed as well as the modeling and simulation tools to analyze the performance of RF systems and the need for future tools was highlighted.
Mr. Behrooz Abdi stated that enabling mobility is what is needed for future wireless technologies. He suggested that the mobile market continues to evolve rapidly towards the convergence of cellular and WLAN wireless connectivity with computing, and consumer applications. According to him, the converging world is now driving technology convergence, calling for a new paradigm in which multiple technologies interact seamlessly to create an optimized system solution. He predicted that an inflection point in the mobile market will emerge new technology leaders.
The day ended with an hour-long panel discussion consisting of ten speakers and moderated by Dr. Charles E. Weitzel. The topic was "Future Market Opportunities in Wireless Communications". The panel discussion was interactive between speakers, audience, and moderator. The discussions among panelists and between panelists and audience were lively and interesting. About 40 people were in audience for the panel discussion.
The production of handouts and compact discs as well as the breakfast, refreshment breaks, and lunch were subsidized in part by the financial support obtained from the Premier Sponsors who contributed $1000 and Standard Sponsors who contributed up to $500. The Premier Sponsors included Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., IEEE Phoenix Section, and Intel Corporation. The Standard Sponsors included Arizona State University Department of Electrical Engineering and Connection One Center, IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society, IEEE Components, Packaging, and Manufacturing Technology Society, IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society, Motorola, Inc. and RF Micro Devices. All three premier sponsors and Arizona State University Connection One Center had displays and were well received. Many of workshop attendees, including both IEEE members and non-members, stopped by the IEEE display and were impressed by the information that included local chapters missions, literature, and membership forms. The display in general sparked quite a bit of interest among non-members to join IEEE.
A total of 17 vendors displayed at the workshop. Vendors included American Express Financial Advisors, Amkor Technology, Ansoft Corporation, Applied Wave Research, Inc., Cadence Design Systems, CMC Interconnect Technologies, Earle Associates / Infineon Technologies, Fluent Inc., Grant Technical Sales, Hionix, Inc., Manufacturers of Odyssey 1 / TDA Systems / Tektronix / Cascade Microtech, Namics Technologies, Inc., Optimal Corporation, Rogers Corporation, Sigrity, Inc., STATS ChipPAC, Inc., and TDK R+D Corporation. These displays were very professionally done and technically oriented, and contributed to the overall success of the workshop. Number of vendor displays increased by 50% compared to last year's workshop.
The workshop was made possible by the hard work of the organizing committee consisting of members from both the IEEE Phoenix Section CPMT Chapter and WAD Chapter. Long hours of dedicated work over a period of nine months by all members of the workshop organizing committee contributed to the overall success of the workshop. The workshop organizing committee consisted of the following members:

General Chair: Vasudeva P. Atluri, Ph.D.
Co-Chair: Charles E. Weitzel, Ph.D.
Technical Program: Rao Bonda, Ph.D.
Stephen Goodnick, Ph.D.
Olin Hartin, Ph.D.
Mali Mahalingam, Ph.D.
Sujit Sharan, Ph.D.
Dragan Zupac, Ph.D.
Vendor Registration: Dongming He, Ph.D.
Rashaunda Henderson, Ph.D.
Sam Karikalan
Eric C. Palmer
Steve Rockwell
Electronic Media: James E. Drye
David Penunuri, Ph.D.
Daniel D. Lu, Ph.D.
Sergio Pacheco, Ph.D.
Registration: Ellen Lan, Ph.D.
Victor Prokofiev
Arrangements: Henning Braunisch, Ph.D.
Shane Johnson, Ph.D.
Ravi Sharma, Ph.D.
Peter Zurcher, Ph.D.
Publicity: Steve Post
Bruce A. Bosco

In addition to raising funds for the IEEE Phoenix Section CPMT Chapter and WAD Chapter, one of the goals of the workshop is to help increase the student scholarship endowment. Continuing with the tradition from previous two years, 50% of the profits will be donated to the IEEE Phoenix Section Student Scholarship Endowment at the Arizona State University Foundation. This endowment awards scholarships to undergraduate IEEE student members within IEEE Phoenix Section region. Students from Arizona State University, Devry University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and Northern Arizona University are eligible to apply for these scholarships. The scholarship endowment was initiated jointly by IEEE Phoenix Section, IEEE / CPMT Phoenix Chapter, and IEEE / WAD Phoenix Chapter.

Picture of Organizing Committee members and volunteers in front of IEEE Phoenix Section Display