RF electrical simulation of embedded capacitor

Abstract

Embedded passives have many advantages, such as: improving packaging efficiency and electrical performance, reducing the use of PWB real estate, eliminating assembly to board, minimizing solder joint failure and enhanced reliability. The trend of miniaturisation of electronic products requires use of embedded passive technology. The design of embedded passives is very important to its practical application. However, there is still no mature commercial computer aided design (CAD) tool available for embedded passive design. The objective of this research is to conduct computer simulation and modeling for embedded capacitors and resistors. The commercial finite element software ANSYS and electric simulation software SPICE were used for the modeling work, which includes electric and thermo-mechanical analyses, the frequency response simulation, and the electric interference prediction of embedded capacitor and resistors. Attention was paid to the effects of material properties and the geometry of the embedded passives. The finite-element method (FEM) model and SPICE simulation provide a good picture of the distribution, electric performance and tolerance of embedded passives. As such, FEM and SPICE are very helpful for the design and manufacture process.