News: Suppliers
11 November 2020
IQE develops IQepiMo template technology for RF filters
Epiwafer foundry and substrate maker IQE plc of Cardiff, Wales, UK has announced the development of its IQepiMo template technology for RF filters and for any application requiring low-resistance buried electrodes. Built on its cREO (crystalline rare-earth oxide) technology platform, IQepiMo templates are available in diameters of up to 200mm. Trials are underway with potential customers and partners.
Low-resistance contacts are essential for the efficient operation of almost all electronic circuits. As dimensions shrink, the limitations of existing technologies are exposed, resulting in compromised device performance. This is especially true of RF filters, which allow or prevent the transmission of selected signals or frequencies.
As 5G technology rolls out worldwide, the requirements for RF devices are becoming significantly more demanding, notes IQE. For RF bulk acoustic wave (BAW) filters, the higher frequencies of 5G translate into an electrical penalty for thinner electrodes that must be accommodated. IQepiMo is said to eliminate this electrical penalty by providing bulk-like metal resistance for very thin layers (down to 50nm). In addition, IQepiMo templates enable higher-quality piezoelectric layers to be fabricated from customers’ existing processes, offering a clear path for improved-quality aluminium nitride (AlN) piezoelectric materials. As such, IQepiMo extends the capability of existing customer processes for next-generation applications.
“These templates will mean that customers, while using their existing processes, can fabricate higher-quality, better-performing BAW filters and eliminate the electrical penalty that had, until now, been inherent in the application of current technology to higher frequencies,” says chief technology officer Dr Rodney Pelzel.
