STATS ChipPAC Ltd., a provider of advanced semiconductor packaging and test services, today announced that Cavendish Kinetics, a provider of high performance RF MEMS tuning solutions for LTE smartphones and wearable devices, has adopted its advanced wafer level packaging technology to deliver Cavendish’s SmarTune RF MEMS tuners in the smallest possible form factor, as a 2mm2 chip scale package.
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. Cavendish’s 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 percent). Cavendish 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,” said Atul Shingal, Executive Vice President of Operations, Cavendish Kinetics. “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.”
STATS ChipPAC provides a comprehensive 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.
“Through our successful partnership, Cavendish Kinetics has been able to implement their current generation industry leading MEMS-based antenna tuning solution. 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,” said Dr. Rajendra Pendse, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, STATS ChipPAC.