LTCC Transmit/Receive X-Band Module with a Phased Array Antenna
2 www.cadence.com/go/awr
Design Overview
This design example starts by highlighting the use of system-level characterization and RF circuit-design software for
schematic entry and layout, then dives into electromagnetic (EM) simulation of the interconnects and bond-wire transitions.
It continues by looking at each antenna as excited by a separate module composed of a PCB as the motherboard LTCC
technology for embedded passive components and as a platform for the microwave monolithic integrated circuit (MMIC) and
dies, a MMIC for the power amplifier (PA), a PA driver, a phase shifter, an attenuator, vendor or internally designed compo-
nents, transitions such as bondwires, microstrips, and striplines (MLIN/SLIN) (Figure 2), and an antenna.
Figure 2: Simplified STACKUP for the module
Several Cadence AWR
®
software tools are highlighted throughout the design flow, including AWR Visual System Simulator™
(VSS) software for system-level characterization, AWR Microwave Office
®
circuit design software for schematic entry and
layout, AWR AXIEM
®
and AWR Analyst™ simulators for EM simulation of the interconnects and transitions (bondwires), and
AWR AntSyn™ antenna synthesis and optimization software for the phased array antenna design, as well as several
specialized synthesis wizards.
Step 1: Designing the System in AWR VSS Software
Figure 3 shows the system design diagram for this example, which uses the AWR VSS TX/RX-mode testbench. At the system
level, hierarchy was used to inject signals on the left (TX continuous wave [CW] test) and on the right (RX CW test), which
could be switched with AWR VSS components (middle). The TX/RX module was used as a subcircuit within the system design.
Figure 3: System design diagram, including TX/RX module subcircuit
