A Review of 5G Front-End Systems Package Integration

Increasing data rates, spectrum efficiency, and energy efficiency have been driving major advances in the design and hardware integration of RF communication networks. In order to meet the data rate and efficiency metrics, fifthgeneration (5G) networks have emerged as a follow-on to 4G and projected to have 100× higher wireless date rates and 100× lower latency than those with current 4G networks. Major challenges arise in the packaging of radio frequency front-end modules because of the stringent low signal-loss requirements in the millimeter-wave frequency bands, and precision-impedance designs with smaller footprints and thickness. Heterogeneous integration in 3-D ultrathin packages with higher component densities and performance than with the existing 2-D packages is needed to realize such 5G systems. This article reviews the key building blocks of 5G systems and the underlying advances in packaging technologies to realize them.