8 April 2015

Cavendish Kinetics adopts STATS ChipPAC's wafer-level technology for RF MEMS antenna tuners

Singapore-based STATS ChipPAC Ltd (a provider of semiconductor packaging design, assembly, test and distribution services) says that Cavendish Kinetics of San Jose, CA, USA (which supplies RF MEMS antenna tuning solutions for LTE smartphones, handheld and wearable devices) has adopted its wafer-level packaging technology to deliver its SmarTune RF MEMS tuners in the smallest possible form factor, as a 2mm2 chip-scale package. SmarTune devices feature a MIPI RFFE interface, have been shipping in volume since 2014, and are qualified beyond 100 billion cycles.

Cavendish says that LTE smartphone original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are rapidly adopting antenna tuning solutions to be able to provide the required signal strength across the large number of LTE spectrum bands used globally. The firm claims that its SmarTune RF MEMS tuners outperform traditional RF silicon-on-insulator (SOI) switch-based antenna tuning solutions by 2-3dB, resulting in much higher data rates (up to 2x) and improved battery life (up to 40%). Its RF MEMS tuner shipments are ramping aggressively and can now be found in six different smartphone models across China, Europe and North America, with many additional designs in development.

"Our RF MEMS tuners present demanding packaging requirements, including the need to deliver the smallest possible form factor in a process that protects the integrity of our hermetically sealed MEMS structure," says Cavendish's executive VP of operations Atul Shingal. "STATS ChipPAC's wafer-level packaging platform provided advantages in package size, performance and scalability, and a proven, cost-effective manufacturing process that supports our accelerating volume production," he adds.  

STATS ChipPAC provides a platform of wafer-level technology, from fan-in wafer-level packaging (FIWLP) to highly integrated fan-out wafer-level packaging (FOWLP) solutions known as embedded wafer-level ball grid array (eWLB). Cavendish Kinetics and STATS ChipPAC are jointly working to utilize the inherent benefits of wafer-level packaging technology to drive further RF antenna tuning innovations for the smartphone market.

"In future products, we will be able to provide Cavendish Kinetics with options for greater functional integration and silicon partitioning capabilities that are only feasible with our industry-leading fan-out eWLB technology," says STATS ChipPAC's VP & chief marketing officer Dr Rajendra Pendse.

See related items:

Cavendish Kinetics adds design wins and ramps shipments of RF MEMS tuners

Cavendish Kinetics raises $7m to support RF MEMS tuner design wins for LTE smartphones

Tags: MEMS

Visit: www.cavendish-kinetics.com

Visit: www.statschippac.com