A flexible RF transmitter module based on flexible printed circuit board by using micro-machining fabrication process

This article presents a flexible RF transmitter module based on flexible printed circuit board (FPCB).The polyimide with micro-machining fabrication technique is employed for realization of FPCB to achieve the high flexibility as well as low loss at microwave frequency band. The active devices in the proposed flexible RF transmitter are design with InGaP/GaAs hetero-junction bipolar transistor monolithic microwave integrated circuit process, and the passive devices such as the filter and interconnection lines are fully integrated on the FPCB board to avoid use of external off-chip components for maximized flexibility. The FPCB transmitter module is designed for a short-distance sensor network based on OFDM communication system, and the measured conversion gain and error vector magnitude of the fabricated flexible transmitter are 27 dB and -32 dB, respectively.