What is 6G?
6G is short for sixth-generation of wireless networks, which will be the successor to 5G technology. Like all previous generations, 6G is expected to expand on the capabilities of 5G. That will mean expanding on speed and data capacity, plus the innovations regarding IoT or the Internet of Things that 5G is widely expected to usher in.
Why do we need 6G?
- Autonomous driving
- Robotic surgery/telemedicine
- Network controlled robots for industrial automation
TB/sec is needed for autonomous driving and medical apps. For autonomous driving, sharing info between cars i.e high data rate and low latency is critical. In telemedicine, robot instructions must be instantaneous and images must be high definition. One must eliminate delay in the compression/decompression process.
Packaging Requirements for 6G
AiP platform
- Integration of antennas at ICs in different layers + antenna shielding
- Integration of caps close to ICs for stable PDS
- The direct thermal path from ICs to the outside world
- Scalable, miniaturized
Packaging Materials
- Variable thicknesses for impedance controlled TMLs, vias, passives, and antennas(> 100GHz)
- Low Df, Dk, and metallization losses > 100GHz
- Low warpage.generally processable
Packaging Interconnects
- Short interconnects (e.g. amp to antenna)
- Interconnect paths with few discontinuities
Proposed Fraunhofer solutions include:
Both have short connections from ICs to antennas. Such structures are being developed under the 6Gkom project using the capabilities of several of the institutes as shown below.
Citations:
Garrou, P. (2021, December 21). IFTLE 505: What does 6G mean for advanced packaging? 3D InCites. Retrieved January 26, 2022, from https://www.3dincites.com/2021/12/iftle-505-what-does-6g-mean-for-advanced-packaging/
Millimeter Wave Products Inc. (2021, December 21). What is 6G?: 6G radio frequency. Millimeter Wave Products | Waveguide Products | MM Wave Components. Retrieved January 22, 2022.