Substrates Used in RF Applications

university wafer substrates

Float Zone Silicon Wafers For RF Applications

A postdoc requested the following quote.

I'm looking for a small quantity of highly- resistive (10k to 20k Ω-cm if available) 100mm silicon wafers for an RF application, wafer-thickness isn't too important but 300 µm - 350 µm would be preferable. If you have anything like this in stock I'd be interested to hear about it. 

UniversityWafer, Inc. Quoted:

100mm Intrinsic Si:- [100] 350 micron DSP FZ >10,000 ohm-cm

Reference #113761 for specs and pricing.

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Fused Silica Wafers For RF Applications?

An Assistant Professor, Ph.D. requested the following quote.

I am using a JGS2 Fused Silica (0.5 mm thick, 22mm flat, DSP) from your company.

I recently want to use the substrate for RF application.

Do you have material property data including permittivity and permeability?

Reference #245244 for specs and pricing.

What Is the Material Property Data Including Permittivity and Permeability of JGS2 Fused Silica Wafers?

Fused silica, particularly JGS2 grade, is known for its high purity and excellent optical properties. Here are some material property data for JGS2 fused silica wafers:

Material Properties of JGS2 Fused Silica

  1. Permittivity (Dielectric Constant)

    • Relative Permittivity (εr) at 1 MHz: approximately 3.75

  2. Permeability

    • Relative Permeability (μr): approximately 1 (as fused silica is a non-magnetic material)

  3. Other Key Properties

    • Density: 2.20 g/cm³
    • Refractive Index:
      • At 588 nm (yellow light): 1.458
    • Thermal Expansion Coefficient:
      • From 20°C to 320°C: 0.55 x 10⁻⁶ /°C
    • Thermal Conductivity:
      • At 20°C: 1.38 W/(m·K)
    • Young's Modulus: 73 GPa
    • Poisson's Ratio: 0.17
    • Tensile Strength: 48 MPa
    • Compressive Strength: 1.1 GPa
    • Hardness (Knoop): 530 kg/mm²

Optical Properties

  • Transmission Range:
    • UV Grade: 185 nm to 2,500 nm
  • Absorption Coefficient:
    • At 193 nm: < 0.001 cm⁻¹
  • Birefringence:
    • Low birefringence, typically less than 5 nm/cm

These properties make JGS2 fused silica wafers suitable for a wide range of applications, particularly:

  • Optics,
  • Telecommunications
  • High-precision instruments

If you need more specific details or data at different frequencies/conditions, please let me know!

Five Common RF Applications

Sure, here are five applications of Radio Frequency (RF) technology:

  1. Wireless Communication:

    • RF technology is widely used in mobile phones, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and RF Wireless Communication Applicationsatellite communications, enabling wireless data transmission over various distances.

  2. Broadcasting:

    • RF is essential in radio and television broadcasting, where it is used to transmit audio and video signals over the airwaves to receivers in homes, cars, and portable devices.

  3. Radar Systems:

    • RF technology is a critical component of radar systems used in aviation, maritime navigation, weather monitoring, and military applications for detecting and tracking objects.

  4. Medical Applications:

    • RF energy is utilized in medical devices for treatments such as RF ablation for cancer and heart arrhythmias, as well as in MRI machines for imaging internal structures of the body.

  5. Industrial and Scientific Applications:

    • RF is used in industrial heating processes, such as microwave ovens and RF dryers, and in scientific research, including particle accelerators and spectroscopy instruments.

These applications demonstrate the versatility and widespread use of RF technology in various fields.

What Are RF Tin Film Devices?

RF (Radio Frequency) thin film devices are electronic components designed to operate at radio frequencies, typically ranging from a few MHz to several GHz. These devices are fabricated using thin-film deposition techniques on substrates like silicon, glass, or sapphire. They play a crucial role in wireless communication, radar systems, and RF/microwave circuits.

Types of RF Thin Film Devices:

  1. Thin Film Resistors – Used for impedance matching and signal conditioning.RF thin film device featuring microstrip transmission lines, thin film capacitors, inductors, and a patterned gold thin film layer on a silicon substrate
  2. Thin Film Capacitors – Provide high-frequency signal filtering and coupling.
  3. Thin Film Inductors – Used in RF circuits for tuning and signal processing.
  4. Thin Film Filters (Bandpass, Low-pass, High-pass, etc.) – Essential for selecting specific frequency bands.
  5. Thin Film Transmission Lines – Used in microstrip or coplanar waveguide configurations for signal routing.
  6. Thin Film Antennas – Integrated antennas for compact RF systems.
  7. Thin Film Acoustic Devices (SAW and BAW filters) – Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) and Bulk Acoustic Wave (BAW) devices for frequency selection in wireless communication.

Fabrication Methods:

  • Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) – Sputtering or evaporation to deposit thin metal or dielectric films.
  • Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) – Used for dielectric layers.
  • Electrochemical Deposition – For specialized thin metal layers.
  • Lithography & Etching – Patterning RF components on substrates.
  • Porous Silicon Integration – Can be explored for dielectric tuning, impedance control, or surface-enhanced RF properties.

Applications:

  • Wireless communication (5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth)
  • Satellite and radar systems
  • RF MEMS devices
  • Microwave sensors and phased array antennas

Since you're exploring porous silicon, it can be beneficial for low-loss RF substrates, tunable dielectric properties, and thermal management. Let me know if you need recommendations on porous silicon specifications for your RF application!