White Paper: Understanding Available Tools For RF System-In-Package And Multi-Chip-Module Design And Optimization

By Malcolm Edwards, AWR Corporation

RF system-in-package (SiP) and multi-chip-module (MCM) designs present engineers with the challenge of integrating complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuits (ICs) for digital circuits and gallium arsenide (GaAs) or silicon germanium (SiGe) devices for RF and microwave circuits with soft-board laminates and low-temperature co-fi red ceramic (LTCC) packages. Software used to design these complex circuits must seamlessly bring together synthesis, simulation, and verification solutions via a single interface in order to ensure optimum component design and placement in each technology. It must also construct schematics and perform physical design entry for any technology in the SiP using uniform commands and menu options.