Agressive Passives

Stats ChipPac Ltd. has qualified a copper process for integrated passive devices (IPD) which it claims delivers superior performance and miniaturization in radio frequency (RF) wireless systems. Such a capability has been a long time coming and is definitely needed, if it is truly cost-effective. Power Amplifier vendors have been shipping "modules" for years.

While the world continues to try to push the square peg of high Q passives into the round silicon hole, a more optimized approach is a breath of fresh air. This development is encouraging because a large packaging house has the insight, technology, and financial incentive to truly bring integrated passives into the mainstream. The semiconductor OEMs and ODMs just don't have that kind of talent or motivation, though several large chip manufacturers have developed in-house methods with varying degrees of limited success.