Murata Incredible High Performance (IHP) SAW Filter

Introduction

Murata Company Profile and SAW Filter Technologies

Market Analysis

Physical Analysis

• Physical Analysis Methodology
• Package Assembly
  • View, opening and cross-section
• Filter Die
  • View, dimensions and marking
  • Die overview:
  • IDT, reflector, dimensions, polyimide
  • Cross-section
  • Process characteristics

Manufacturing Process Flow

• Overview
• Wafer Process and Fabrication Unit
• Filter Die Process Flow
• Assembly and Final test Unit

Analysis

• Cost Analysis Overview
• The Main Steps Used in the Economic Analysis
• Yield Hypotheses
• Filter Die Cost
  • Wafer front-end cost
  • Wafer front-end cost per process steps
  • Wafer back-end: Tests and dicing
  • Filter die cost
• Packaging and Component Cost
  • Packaging cost
  • Final test
  • Component cost

Physical and Cost Comparison

• IHP SAW Filter vs. Murata’s SAW and TC SAW
• IHP SAW Filter vs. BAW (FBAR and SMR)

Estimated Price Analysis

As the leader in radio-frequency (RF) front-ends, Murata commanded a quarter share of the market in 2019 with its discrete and module offering. With a large panel of customers and applications, the company can address multiple smartphone functions, including low band Power Amplifier Integrated Duplexers (PAMiD) and diversity receivers. For a long time, it was limited to low- and mid-band frequencies by surface acoustic wave (SAW) technology. But with the development of the Incredible High Performance (IHP) SAW filter the company is now able to enter the high frequency market, reaching Wi-Fi front-ends, for instance. The IHP SAW filter has shown results comparable to competing bulk acoustic wave (BAW) filters in this field.

Found in a low-end smartphone, the Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra and the Asus ZenFone 4 Pro, the filter die is packaged using a standard five-pin Land Grid Array (LGA) design manufactured by Murata. The component is located near the Wi-Fi transceiver and is part of the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi front-end path. Until now, it was common to find a BAW filter here.
The new structure of the IHP SAW could now see it replacing BAW filters more generally. The filter, realized mainly with surface micromachining, takes SAW filters to new areas. With a thin film of lithium tantalate bonded onto a silicon substrate, the structure is able to provide simila

Moreover, compared to other SAW filters that Murata provides to the smartphone industry, the IHP SAW has higher attenuation, lower insertion losses and better thermo-compensation per-formance. Its Chip Scale Packaging (CSP) provides an air cavity that protects the transducer and limits temperature effects.

This report proposes a complete analysis of the IHP SAW component including analyses of the filter die and the CSP, along with cost analysis and price estimation for the component. It also includes physical and cost comparisons with Murata’s other SAW filters. Finally, a technical and cost comparison with BAW filter technologies is included.

REVERSE COSTING WITH:

• Detailed photos
• Precise measurements
• Materials analysis
• Manufacturing process flow
• Supply chain evaluation
• Manufacturing cost analysis
• Selling price estimation
• Comparison with Murata’s SAW filter technologies
• Comparison with BAW filter technologies