Design of Microstrip Band Pass Filter Based on LTCC for

UWB Sensor System

Kornel Ruman1), Alena Pietrikova1), Igor Vehec1), Pavol Galajda2)
1)

2)

Department of Technologies in Electronics, Technical University of Kosice, Slovakia

Department of Electronics and Multimedia Communications, Technical University of Kosice, Slovakia
kornel.ruman@tuke.sk

Abstract: This paper deals with design, simulation, manufacturing and experimental testing of

microstrip bend pass (BP) filter for I Q (In-phase Quadrature) demodulator that is a part of Ultra
Wide-Band (UWB) sensor system. Paper refers to the needs that should be focused on the design and
manufacturing of microstrip filters based on LTCC (Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic) with
emphasis on issues of quality of transmitted signals in the high frequency (HF) area in the terms of
actual production. There are presented simulated and measured results of insertion loss (S21) and
return loss (S11) of microstrip BP filter for I Q demodulator made from material system Green Tape
951 XP. This paper demonstrates the design and full-wave electromagnetic simulation of microstrip
BP filter using the HyperLynx 3D EM Designer (from Mentor Graphics). It assesses the suitability of
LTCC material system Green Tape 951 XP as well as conductor paste DuPont 6145 for the production
of microstrip BP filters for HF area. The presented filters should be used as a BP filter mean for I Q
demodulator presented in [1] which is a part of laboratory UWB sensor system.

1. INTRODUCTION
The UWB system refers to a technology which
uses the signals that occupy an ultra large bandwidth
of frequency
spectrum [2]. The Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) defines a UWB
device as any device where the fractional bandwidth is
greater than 0.2 or which occupies the absolute
bandwidth greater than 0.5 GHz. The rapidly growing
field of UWB applications in various areas pushes the
requests for the new enhanced UWB radar systems.
One of the very promising solutions for the UWB
device realization is based on so called M-sequence
approach, where the operation is based on a special
type of the M-Sequence presented in [3]. This UWB
sensor system is simply expandable with I Q
demodulator on side of receiver [4]. I Q
demodulation is very useful if we need to obtain both
the magnitude and phase of the received signal. The
remarkable approach with an I Q demodulator is an
easy and quick collection of all needed information by
just measuring two voltages. Therefore, I Q
demodulator is an important building block in RF
(Radio Frequency) receiver with digital modulated
baseband signals [1].
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I Q demodulator consist from several parts: input

BP filters; a pair of single chip, that contains wideband mixer; delay line for 90 phase shift and output
low-pass filters. The lack of relatively cheap, longterm stable and accurate filters represents frequently
problem. The main purpose of the filter is to attenuate
the unwanted frequency components which appear in
the I Q demodulator spectrum. Sensor system is
designed in order to match the ECC (Electronic
Communications Committee) frequency bandpass
(from 6 to 8.5 GHz). Therefore, received signals on
I/Q demodulator inputs are necessary to take out by
using BP filters. In present, for this purpose, I/Q
demodulator is mounted by commercially fabricated
band-pass LTCC filters BFCN-7900+ from MiniCircuits Company [1]. Because the bandpass of this
filter is only 0.3 GHz (from 7.8 GHz to 8.1 GHz) the
operating bandwidth (2.5 GHz) set by ECC is not fully
utilized.
For increasing of this operating bandwidth, design,
simulation, manufacturing and experimental testing of
microstrip BP filters with a bandwidth from 6 to
8 GHz and a minimum attenuation 40 dB in stop
band, are the main challenging problem.

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2. FILTER DESIGN

reason is that value of substrates relative permittivity

influences the capacity of microstrip line and thereby
its impedance and scattering parameters.

2.1. Substrate
In the HF (High Frequency) area, the dielectric
properties of substrate have a major impact on the
quality, stability and dimensions of the filter. Each
substrate at the market has various dielectric
parameters. This is the reason why not every substrate
is proper for UWB area and choosing the appropriate
substrates should pay close attention. Significant
parameter in HF area is the value of loss tangent and
dielectric constant and their stability in HF
environment.
The progressive trends in the development of new
materials for HF areas initiated the usage of LTCC
ceramic for production accurate filters, thanks to its
excellent stability and mechanical and dielectric
capabilities. As substrate we chose LTCC material
system Green Tape 951 PX that comprises a complete
cofireable family of Au and Ag metallization, buried
passives and encapsulants. Green Tape 951 is
available in multiple thicknesses and is designed for
use as an insulating layer in multichip modules, single
chip packages, ceramic printed wiring boards and RF
modules [6]. For correct design and simulation is
necessary to know the physical and dielectric
parameters of the substrate (Table 1).
Table 1. Specification of material system
Green Tape 951 PX [6].
Property

Units

Typical Value

Unfired Thickness

254 3

X, Y Shrinkage

12.7 0.3

Z Shrinkage

15 0.5

Surface Roughness

TCE (25 to 300 C)

ppm/ C

5.8

g/cm3

3.1

Camber

(m/25 mm)

25

(W/m.K)

3.3

(MPa)

320

Thermal Conductivity
Flexural Strength
Dielectric Constant (3 GHz)

7.8

Loss Tangent (3 GHz)

0.006

Loss Tangent (10 GHz)

0.014

Table 2. Specification of DuPont 6145 [7].

Property

6145

Viscosity (Pa.S)

120 - 200

Dried Line Resolution (m)

line/space

125 / 125

Fired Thickness (m)

Fired Resistivity (m/sq)

18 - 25
<3

Dupont 6145 is ideally suited for applications

requiring excellent conductivity.
Study correlation between measurements and
simulations of microstripe BP filter play important
role. Advances in CAD (Computer-Aided Design),
such as full-wave EM (Electromagnetic) simulators
did coup in design of filters. For design of BP filters
was used HyperLynx 3D EM Designer software,
which facilitated the mentioned filters based on
LTCC [5].

Low dielectric loss as typical property of LTCC

material system Green Tape 951 allows using them in
many applications where at high operating frequency
are conventional laminates circuit boards limited. The
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The line metallization as well as width design is

necessary to be considered because improper design
of transmission line material and width can cause
reflection. For correct design and simulation is
necessary to know also the type and parameters of
used metallization (Table 2). For simulations of
microstrip BP filters we use parameters of conductor
paste DuPont 6145. DuPont 6145 is an external
solderable cofireable silver conductor compatible with
LTCC system Green Tape 951 [7] that is
distinguished with high conductivity (quality of signal
transmission).

2.3. Simulation

< 0.34

Density

2.2. Metallization

This filter is designed as a microstrip BP filter

which role is to take out the required frequency band
from the whole spectrum of signals propagating in a
free space. The selected frequency band must meet the
requirements of the organization ECC, e.g the
microstrip BP filter will be designed to take out only
the spectrum from 6 to 8 GHz. Very important
parameters in simulation are microstripe line
dimension, directions, angles, width of lines, etc. that
are dependent on dielectric characteristics of
substrate. Based on result of comparison of various

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possibilities for the shape of microstripe BP filter

(Microstrip Gap-Coupled Bandpass filter, Microstrip
Parallel-Coupled Bandpass filter, Microstrip Hairpin
Bandpass filter, etc.) that offer CAD software we
decided for hairpin type of structure.

microstrip BP filter. In this simulation, we verified the

suitability of the ceramic material Green Tape 951 for
the realization of this filter. Simulated transmission
characteristic of BP filter satisfied initial condition.
The corner frequency shifted from 6.0 to 6.3 GHz
and from 8.0 to 7.8 GHz is shown in Fig. 2. This
figure also shows that designed hairpin band pass
filter meets the minimum attenuation of 40 dB with
the corner frequency shift of 1 GHz in suppress band.
The BP filter input and output are matched to
50 ohm characteristic impedance. The 50 ohms choice
is a compromise between power handling capability
and signal loss per unit length, for air dielectric.

Fig. 1. 3D layout of a six-pole hairpin microstrip BP filter.

The Fig. 1 shows the structure of six-pole microstrip

BP filter, which is designed as a cascade of parallel
resonant circuits, among which is also capacitive
coupling. Resonant circuits are realized using half
wave U-resonators (also called hairpin resonators) and
capacitive coupling through their mutual distance [8].
The simulation must calculate with shrinkage of
LTCC ceramics and conductive paste because
material system Green Tape 951 doesnt have zero
shrinkage after firing process in axis x, y and z
(Table 3). Shrinkage of ceramics plays a major role
since results of simulations are calculated for
dimension of BP filter after firing. The hairpin lines
width and spacing was set at 100 m and width
between the hairpin legs (hairpin gaps width) was set
to 749 m. The filter design dimensions were
optimized to meet the specifications in the pass band.

3.1. Filter Construction

We manufactured three kinds of BP filters each
with different scaling factor (13, 16 and 20 %) for
prediction of shrinkage effect of material system
Green Tape 951 (Table 3) and conductor paste
DuPont 6145 (Table 4).
Table 3. Scaling factors of microstrip BP filters and
shrinkage of LTCC system Green Tape 951.
Samples

BP filter 1

BP filter 2

BP filter 3

Number of
samples

32

16

16

Scaling factor [%]

13

16

20

Axis

Dimension before
13.55 22 0.25 13.7 22.2 0.25 14.2 23 0.25
firing [mm]
Dimension after
firing (average)
[mm]

11.5 18.9 0.22 11.6 19.1 0.22 12.1 19.8 0.22

Difference [mm]

2.05 3.1 0.03 2.11 3.08 0.03 2.12 3.18 0.03

Shrinkage
(average) [%]

15.13 14.1 13

15 13.9 13

15 13.8 13

From the Table 3 we can see that shrinkage of

material system Green Tape 951 is bigger in axis x, y
and smaller in axis z as DuPont specified in technical
data sheet (Table 2). These differences between
specified and measured values of shrinkage affected
result of measured S parameters (S11 and S22).

Fig. 2. Simulated results of insertion loss and return loss of

microstrip hairpin BP filter.

The Fig. 2 shows simulated results of Scattering

parameters (S parameters) after planar EM analysis of
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3. RESULTS

The shrinkage of conductor paste DuPont 6145

was tested on two straight lines with different width
(0.125 and 0.130 mm).

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Table 4. Shrinkage of conductor paste DuPont 6145.

Samples
Number of samples
Line width before firing [m]
Line width after firing (average) [m]
Difference [m]
Shrinkage [%]

1
30
125
99.8
25.2
20.16

2
30
130
103
27
20.76

We can see that conductor paste DuPont 6145 has in

combination with material system Green Tape 951
shrinkage around 20 % (Table 4).
Quality and thickness of the print depends on many
screnn printing factors (printing pressure, printing
speed, thickness of the emulsion, characteristic of the
cloth, etc.). Very important role plays firing
conditions as well. The roughness on boundary of
transmission lines influences quality of transmitted
signals in HF area. Thats because the roughness can
cause reflection of transmitted signals what is leading
to the signal attenuation. To achieve fine line of BP
structure characterized by homogeneity of thickness,
without roughness of the surface and line edges we
apply 400 mesh cloth screens.
The area of microstrip hairpin BP filter itself is
approximately 4.25 by 6 mm at the thickness of LTCC
0.25 mm. The final prototype of BP filter including
pads for SMA (Sub-Miniature version A) connectors
(Fig. 3) has dimensions (W/L/H) 11.6 x 19.1 x 0.25
mm3.

Fig. 3. Final prototype of microstrip hairpin BP filter with

SMA connectors.

3.2. Measurement of Scattering Parameters

The insertion and return losses were measured
using the Rohde & Schwarz vector network analyzer.
Comparisons of simulated and measured insertion loss
of three different miscrostrip BP filters (Table 3) are
showed in the Fig. 4.

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Fig. 4. Comparison of simulated and measured insertion

loss of different microstrip hairpin BP filter.

As we can see the transmission characteristic in

pass band of all microstrip hairpin BP filters move
down to value 10 dB. The transmission
characteristics oscillated up and down between values
10 and 19 dB. These oscillations are caused by
difference between specified and measured value of
shrinkage in axis z (Table 3). This difference caused
that dielectric (substrate) height is bigger as we use
for calculation lines width for matching input and
output to 50 ohm characteristic impedance.
Microstrip BP filter 1 and 2 doesnt meet with
simulated results. The corner frequency of Microstrip
BP filter 1 shifted from 6.3 to 6.5 GHz and from 7.8
to 8.3 GHz. The corner frequency of Microstrip BP
filter 2 shifted from 6.3 to 6.7 GHz and from 7.8 to
8.5 GHz. These filters also do not meet the minimum
attenuation of 40 dB with the corner frequency shift
of 1 GHz in suppress band.
Microstrip BP filter 3 achieved the best results from
the compared filters (Fig. 4). The insertion loss meets
with simulated results (bandwidth from 6.3 to
7.8 GHz). Filter fit to the minimum attenuation of
40 dB with the corner frequency shift of 1 GHz in
suppress band. It is possible to use this BP filter in
UWB devices such as IQ demodulator presented in [1]
or part of system for Through Wall Moving Target
Tracking by M-sequence UWB Radar presented in [9].
Comparisons of simulated and measured return
loss of three different miscrostrip BP filters are in the
Fig. 5.

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36th Int. Spring Seminar on Electronics Technology

programme Research and Development OPVaV2009/2.1/03-SORO and preferred axis 2 Support of

Research and Development.

REFERENCES

Fig. 5. Comparison of simulated and measured return loss

of different microstrip hairpin BP filter.

The return loss of all measured microstrip hairpin

BP filters doesnt match with simulated results. But
this problem was also caused by difference between
specified and measured value of shrinkage in axis z
(Table 3).

4. CONCLUSION
The microstrip hairpin BP filters made from LTCC
material system, Green Tape 951 PX, in combination
with conductor paste DuPont 6145 were designed,
simulated, constructed and tested. Comparison between
simulated and measured results of insertion loss and
return loss was made and the differences in result of
comparison were caused by shrinkage of material. We
have demonstrated that shrinkage of material system
Green Tape 951 in axis x, y and z is different as
DuPont specified in their technical data sheet. We point
out that conductor paste DuPont 6145 has in
combination with material system Green Tape 951
shrinkage around 20 %. We achieved the best results
with Microstrip BP filter 3 (scaling factor 20 %) which
confirm 20 % shrinkage factor. Transmission
characteristic of Microstrip BP filter 3 is acceptable for
use in I Q demodulator that should be a part of our
UWB sensor system. We find out that using of material
system Green Tape 951 is a bit problematic for HF
application from the technological point of view.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This paper was developed with support of the
project "Centrum excelentnosti integrovanho
vskumu a vyuitia progresvnych materilov a
technolgi v oblasti automobilovej elektroniky",
ITMS 26220120055, that is co-financed from
Structural Funds EU ERDF within Operational
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