Patent Publication Number: US-2021175627-A1

Title: Antenna substrate and antenna module comprising the same

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
     This application claims benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0163278 filed on Dec. 10, 2019 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present inventive concept relates to an antenna substrate and an antenna module including the same. 
     BACKGROUND 
     As the mmWave band is applied to the mobile communications field, a system of operating a smartphone has changed. For example, a novel antenna system, capable of receiving a high frequency band, should be adopted, and an antenna module, capable of covering the mmWave band as a component therefor, is required. Meanwhile, a high frequency has strong linearity, while lacking transparency and reflectivity in a manner different from short wavelengths according to the related art. Therefore, it may be sensitive to loss and interference in a signal transmission process between an integrated circuit (IC) such as a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) and an antenna. 
     SUMMARY 
     An aspect of the present inventive concept is to provide an antenna substrate, capable of improving antenna performance, and an antenna module including the same. 
     Another aspect of the present inventive concept is to provide an antenna substrate in which miniaturization is possible and an antenna module including the same. 
     According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an antenna substrate including an antenna unit and a feed unit is manufactured, and, in this case, an insulating distance between pattern layers of an antenna unit is greater than an insulating distance between pattern layers of a feed unit. 
     According to an aspect of the present inventive concept, an antenna substrate includes an antenna unit including first and second pattern layers, adjacent to each other and disposed on different levels, and a first insulating layer providing a first insulating region between the first and second pattern layers, and a feed unit including third and fourth pattern layers, adjacent to each other and disposed on different levels, and a second insulating layer providing a second insulating region between the third and fourth pattern layers. Each of the first and second pattern layers includes an antenna pattern, and each of the third and fourth pattern layers includes a feed pattern. The antenna unit is disposed on the feed unit. The first insulating region is thicker than the second insulating region. 
     According to another aspect of the present inventive concept, an antenna module includes: an antenna substrate including an antenna unit including first and second pattern layers adjacent to each other and disposed on different levels and a first insulating layer providing a first insulating region between the first and second pattern layers, and a feed unit including third and fourth pattern layers adjacent to each other and disposed on different levels and a second insulating layer providing a second insulating region between the third and fourth pattern layers, the antenna unit being disposed on the feed unit; and an electronic component disposed on a side of the feed unit opposite to a side of the feed unit on which the antenna unit is disposed, and connected to at least one of the third pattern layer or the fourth pattern layer. Each of the first and second pattern layers includes an antenna pattern, and each of the third and fourth pattern layers includes a feed pattern. The first insulating region is thicker than the second insulating region. 
     According to another aspect of the present inventive concept, an antenna substrate includes: a plurality of first pattern layers each including an antenna pattern; a plurality of first insulating layers respectively separating adjacent two of the plurality of first pattern layers; a plurality of second pattern layers each including a feed pattern; a plurality of second insulating layers respectively separating adjacent two of the plurality of second pattern layers; a third insulating layer disposed between a lowermost one of the plurality of first pattern layers and an uppermost one of the second pattern layers. The plurality of first pattern layers and the plurality of first insulating layers are disposed on one side of the third insulating layer. The plurality of second pattern layers and the plurality of second insulating layers are disposed on another side of the third insulating layer opposing the one side. A thickness of each of the plurality of first insulating layers disposed between adjacent two of the plurality of first pattern layers is greater than a thickness of each of the plurality of second insulating layers disposed between adjacent two of the plurality of second pattern layers. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       The above and other aspects, features and other advantages of the present disclosure will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram schematically illustrating an example of an electronic device system; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic perspective view illustrating an example of an electronic device; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an example of an antenna module; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic plan view of the antenna module when viewed from above; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic plan view of the antenna module when viewed from below; 
         FIG. 6  schematically illustrates antenna bandwidth effects of the antenna module of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 7  schematically illustrates antenna gain effects of the antenna module of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating another example of an antenna substrate; 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating another example of an antenna substrate; and 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating another example of an antenna substrate. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described as follows with reference to the attached drawings. 
     The present disclosure may, however, be exemplified in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the specific embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. 
     Throughout the specification, it will be understood that when an element, such as a layer, region or wafer (substrate), is referred to as being “on,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element, it can be directly “on,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” the other element or other elements intervening therebetween may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element, there may be no elements or layers intervening therebetween. Like numerals refer to like elements throughout. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. 
     It will be apparent that though the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various members, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these members, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one member, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Thus, a first member, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second member, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the exemplary embodiments. 
     Spatially relative terms, such as “above,” “upper,” “below,” and “lower” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element&#39;s relationship to another element(s) as shown in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “above,” or “upper” other elements would then be oriented “below,” or “lower” the other elements or features. Thus, the term “above” can encompass both the above and below orientations depending on a particular direction of the figures. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein may be interpreted accordingly. 
     The terminology used herein describes particular embodiments only, and the present disclosure is not limited thereby. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” and/or “comprising” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, members, elements, and/or groups thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, members, elements, and/or groups thereof. 
     Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to schematic views illustrating embodiments of the present disclosure. In the drawings, for example, due to manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances, modifications of the shape shown may be estimated. Thus, embodiments of the present disclosure should not be construed as being limited to the particular shapes of regions shown herein, for example, to include a change in shape results in manufacturing. The following embodiments may also be constituted by one or a combination thereof. 
     The contents of the present disclosure described below may have a variety of configurations and propose only a required configuration herein, but are not limited thereto. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram schematically illustrating an example of an electronic device system. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an electronic device  1000  may accommodate a mainboard  1010  therein. The mainboard  1010  may include chip associated components  1020 , network associated components  1030 , other components  1040 , or the like, physically or electrically connected thereto. These electronic components may be connected to others to be described below to form various signal lines  1090 . 
     The chip associated components  1020  may include a memory chip such as a volatile memory (for example, a dynamic random access memory (DRAM)), a non-volatile memory (for example, a read only memory (ROM)), a flash memory, or the like; an application processor chip such as a central processor (for example, a central processing unit (CPU)), a graphics processor (for example, a graphics processing unit (GPU)), a digital signal processor, a cryptographic processor, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, or the like; and a logic chip such as an analog-to-digital converter, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or the like, or the like. However, the chip associated components  1020  are not limited thereto, and may include other types of chip associated electronic components. In addition, the chip associated components  1020  may be combined with each other. The chip associated components  1020  may have a package form including the above-mentioned chip or electronic component. 
     The network associated components  1030  may include protocols such as wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 family, or the like), worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) (IEEE 802.16 family, or the like), IEEE 802.20, long term evolution (LTE), evolution data only (Ev-DO), high speed packet access+(HSPA+), high speed downlink packet access+(HSDPA+), high speed uplink packet access+(HSUPA+), enhanced data GSM environment (EDGE), global system for mobile communications (GSM), global positioning system (GPS), general packet radio service (GPRS), code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), digital enhanced cordless telecommunications (DECT), Bluetooth, 3G, 4G, and 5G protocols, and any other wireless and wired protocols designated after the above-mentioned protocols. However, the network associated components  1030  are not limited thereto, but may also include a variety of other wireless or wired standards or protocols. In addition, the network associated components  1030  may be combined with each other, together with the chip associated electronic components  1020  described above. 
     Other components  1040  may include a high frequency inductor, a ferrite inductor, a power inductor, ferrite beads, a low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC), an electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter, a multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC), or the like. However, other components  1040  are not limited thereto, but may also include passive components in the form of a chip component used for various other purposes, or the like. In addition, other components  1040  may be combined with each other, together with the chip associated electronic components  1020  or the network associated electronic components  1030  described above. 
     Depending on a type of the electronic device  1000 , the electronic device  1000  includes other electronic components that may or may not be physically or electrically connected to the mainboard  1010 . As an example of other electronic components, a camera module  1050 , an antenna module  1060 , a display  1070 , a battery  1080 , and the like may be provided However, the other electronic components are not limited thereto, and may be an audio codec, a video codec, a power amplifier, a compass, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a speaker, a mass storage device (for example, a hard disk drive), a compact disk (CD), a digital versatile disk (DVD), or the like. In addition, the other electronic components, used for various purposes, may be included according to the type of the electronic device  1000 . 
     The electronic device  1000  may be a smartphone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a digital video camera, a digital still camera, a network system, a computer, a monitor, a tablet PC, a laptop PC, a netbook PC, a television, a video game machine, a smartwatch, an automotive component, or the like. However, the electronic device  1000  is not limited thereto, and may be any other electronic device able to process data. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic perspective view illustrating an example of an electronic device. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , an electronic device may be, for example, a smartphone  1100 . An antenna may be applied to the smartphone  1100  in the form of a substrate. Moreover, in the smartphone  1100 , a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) may be mounted on an antenna substrate by itself or in the form of a semiconductor package so that the antenna module may be applied. In the smartphone  1100 , the RFIC and the antenna are electrically connected, so radiation R′ of antenna signals may be possible in various directions. The RFIC or a semiconductor package including the same, and an antenna module provided for a substrate including an antenna may be applied to an electronic device such as the smartphone  1100  while having various forms. On the other hand, the electronic device, to which the antenna is applied, is not limited to the smartphone  1100 , and there may be other types of electronic devices as described above other than the smartphone  1100 . 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an example of an antenna module. 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic plan view of the antenna module when viewed from above. 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic plan view of the antenna module when viewed from below. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 , an antenna module  500  according to an embodiment includes an antenna substrate  100 A including a core portion  110 , an antenna unit  120  disposed above the core portion  110 , and a feed unit  130  disposed below the core portion  110 , and one or more electronic components  310 ,  320 , and  330  disposed below the feed unit  130  of the antenna substrate  100 A. The core portion  110  includes a core layer  111 , core wiring layers  112  disposed on both surfaces of the core layer  111 , and a through via layer  113  connecting the core wiring layers  112  while passing through the core layer  111 . The antenna unit  120  includes a plurality of insulating layers  121 , a plurality of pattern layers  122 , and a plurality of connection via layers  123 . The feed unit  130  includes a plurality of insulating layers  131 , a plurality of pattern layers  132 , and a plurality of connection via layers  133 . The antenna unit  120  includes one or more combinations of two pattern layers  122  disposed vertically adjacent to each other, each of the two pattern layers including an antenna pattern  122 A, and any one insulating layer  121  providing an insulating region between the pattern layers  122  adjacent to each other. The feed unit  130  includes one or more combinations of two pattern layers  132  disposed vertically adjacent to each other, each of the two pattern layers including a feed pattern  132 F, and any one insulating layer  131  providing an insulating region between the pattern layers  132 . In this case, a thickness T 1  of an insulating region of the antenna unit  120  is greater than a thickness T 2  of an insulating region of the feed unit  130 . 
     As described above, the antenna substrate  100 A according to an embodiment allows an insulating distance between pattern layers  122  of the antenna unit  120  to be relatively thicker, while allowing an insulating distance between pattern layers  132  of the feed unit  130  to be relatively thinner. Thus, even in a condition in which a change in an overall thickness of the antenna substrate  100 A and the antenna module  500  including the same is not significant, an insulating distance between the antenna patterns  122 A may be increased, and as a result, the performance of the antenna could be improved even under the limited conditions. For example, both a low frequency band and a high frequency bandwidth of an antenna could be increased, and both a gain of the low frequency band and a gain of the high frequency band of the antenna could also be increased. 
     Meanwhile, an antenna applied to the antenna substrate  100 A according to an embodiment may be a patch antenna. Alternatively, the antenna may be a combination of a patch antenna and a dipole antenna to improve signal transmission. In one example, as described above, as the performance of the antenna could be improved by adjusting the insulating distance, a patch antenna to be applied could be miniaturized. When the patch antenna is miniaturized, a width of an antenna substrate  100 A including a patch antenna and/or a dipole antenna and an antenna module  500  including the same may also be reduced. Thus, the antenna module  500  in more various forms may be applied to an electronic device, and, for example, the antenna module could be more easily mounted on a side surface of the electronic device. In one example, the patch antenna is introduced in the form of 1×4, but is not limited thereto, and the patch antenna may be introduced in another form such as 2×2 or 4×4. 
     Meanwhile, the antenna substrate  100 A according to an embodiment may have a vertically asymmetrical shape based on the core portion  110 . For example, the number of insulating layers  121  of the antenna unit  120  and the number of insulating layers  131  of the feed unit  130  may be equal to each other. In this case, a thickness of each insulating layer  121  of the antenna unit  120  may be greater than a thickness of each insulating layer  131  of the feed unit  130 . Thus, a thickness of the antenna unit  120  may be greater than a thickness of the feed unit  130 . As described above, regarding a cored-type PCB, as described above, in order to improve antenna characteristics, an insulating distance between pattern layers  122  of the antenna unit  120  is relatively thick, while an insulating distance between pattern layers  132  of the feed unit  130  is relatively thin. Thus, a substrate having a vertically asymmetrical shape may be provided. 
     Meanwhile, in the antenna substrate  100 A according to an embodiment, a core wiring layer  112  in an upper portion of the core portion  110  may include an antenna pattern  112 A, and a core wiring layer  112  in a lower portion of the core portion may include a ground pattern  112 G. The core wiring layer  112  in a lower portion may further include a feed pattern  112 F formed in a hole region of the ground pattern  112 G. In this case, an insulating layer  121  in a lowermost portion of the antenna unit  120  may provide an insulating region between the pattern layer  122  in a lowermost portion of the antenna unit  120  and a core wiring layer  112  in an upper portion of the core portion  110 . Moreover, an insulating layer  131  in an uppermost portion of the feed unit  130  may provide an insulating region between the pattern layer  132  in an uppermost portion of the feed unit  130  and the core wiring layer  112  in a lower portion of the core portion  110 . In this case, the insulating region, provided by an insulating layer  121  in a lowermost portion of the antenna unit  120 , may be thicker than an insulating region, provided by an insulating layer  131  in an uppermost portion of the feed unit  130 . The antenna, applied in an embodiment, may also include an antenna pattern  112 A and a ground pattern  112 G, included in the core wiring layer  112  of the core portion  110 , and performance of an antenna may be more easily improved due to such a difference between the insulating distances. 
     Hereinafter, an antenna substrate  100 A according to an embodiment and components of an antenna module  500  including the same will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. 
     For example, an insulating material may be used as the material of the core layer  111 . In this case, the insulating material may be a thermosetting resin such as an epoxy resin, a thermoplastic resin such as a polyimide resin, or a material including a reinforcement such as a glass fiber, a glass cloth, a glass fabric, and/or an inorganic filler, for example, copper clad laminate (CCL), or unclad CCL, or the like. If necessary, a core layer  111  for improving the bending control may be a metal plate or a glass plate, and may be a ceramic plate. Meanwhile, a metal plate may be an alloy containing nickel (Ni) and iron (Fe), in addition to copper (Cu), for example, a material such as Invar or Kovar. Moreover, a material of the core layer  111  may be a Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP), Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), or a derivative thereof. The material of the core layer  111  may be a material having a low dielectric loss rate (Df), among the above mentioned materials. The core layer  111  may be thicker than a thickness of each of the insulating layers  121  and  131  for the purpose of bending control, and may have excellent rigidity as compared with each of the insulating layers  121  and  131 . For example, the core layer  111  may have an elastic modulus greater than each of the insulating layers  121  and  131 . 
     A material of the core wiring layer  112  may be a metallic material, and, in this case, the metallic material may be copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), silver (Ag), tin (Sn), gold (Au), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), titanium (Ti), or alloys thereof. The core wiring layer  112  may be formed using a plating process, for example, an Additive Process (AP), a Semi AP (SAP), a Modified SAP (MSAP), Tenting (TT), or the like, and as a result, each core wiring layer may include a seed layer, an electroless plating layer, and an electrolytic plating layer formed based on the seed layer. The core wiring layer  112  may perform various functions depending on a design of a corresponding layer. For example, the core wiring layer may include an antenna pattern  112 A, a ground pattern  112 G, a power pattern, a signal pattern, or the like. Here, the signal pattern may include a pattern for various signals except for an antenna pattern  112 A, a ground pattern  112 G, and a power pattern, for example, a feed pattern  112 F. Each pattern of the core wiring layer  112  may include a line pattern, a plane pattern, and/or a pad pattern. 
     A material of the through via layer  115  may also be a metallic material such as copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), silver (Ag), tin (Sn), gold (Au), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), titanium (Ti), or alloys thereof. The through via layer  115  may also be formed using a plating process such as AP, SAP, MSAP, TT, or the like, and as a result, each through via layer may include a seed layer, an electroless plating layer, and an electrolytic plating layer formed based on the seed layer. The through via layer  115  may perform various functions depending on a design thereof. For example, the through via layer may include a through-via for antenna connection, a through-via for signal connection, a through-via for ground connection, a through-via for power connection, or the like. Here, the through via for signal connection may include a through via for connection of various signals except for a through via for antenna connection, a through via for ground connection, and a through via for power connection, for example, a through via for feeding. The through via may be completely filled with a metallic material, or the metallic material may be formed along a wall of a via hole. In addition, the through via may have various shapes such as a cylinder shape, an hourglass shape, and the like. 
     The insulating layers  121  and  131  may provide an insulating region for formation of a multilayer pattern on both sides based on the core layer  111 . The material of the insulating layers  121  and  131  may be an insulating material. In this case, each insulating material may be a thermosetting resin such as an epoxy resin, a thermoplastic resin such as a polyimid resin, or a material including a reinforcement such as a glass fiber and/or an inorganic filler with the same, for example, prepreg, an Ajinomoto Build-up Film (ABF), or the like. Moreover, the material of the insulating layers  121  and  131  may include at least one among a Liquid crystal polymer (LCP), Polyimide (PI), a Cycloolefin polymer (COP), Polyphenylene ether (PPE), Polyether ether ketone (PEEK), and Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), or a derivative thereof. Each of the insulating layers  121  and  131  may be a material having a low dielectric loss rate (Df), among the above mentioned materials. The materials of the insulating layers  121  and  131  may be the same as each other, and may also be different from each other. The boundaries between respective insulating layers  121  and  131 , adjacent to each other, may be clear or unclear. As an example without limitations, a dielectric constant (Dk) of each of the insulating layers  121  may be greater than a dielectric constant (Dk) of each of the insulating layers  131 . 
     A material of the pattern layers  122  and  132  may also be a metallic material such as copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), silver (Ag), tin (Sn), gold (Au), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), titanium (Ti), or alloys thereof. Each of the pattern layers  122  and  132  may also be formed using a plating process such as AP, SAP, MSAP, TT, or the like, and as a result, each through via layer may include a seed layer, an electroless plating layer, and an electrolytic plating layer formed based on the seed layer. The pattern layers  122  and  132  may perform various functions depending on designs of layers corresponding thereto. For example, the pattern layers  122  may include an antenna pattern  122 A, a power pattern, a signal pattern, or the like, and the pattern layers  132  may include a ground pattern  132 G, a power pattern, a signal pattern, or the like. Here, the signal pattern may include a pattern for various signals except for an antenna pattern  122 A, a ground pattern  132 G, and a power pattern, for example, a feed pattern  132 F. Each pattern of the pattern layers  122  and  132  may include a line pattern, a plane pattern, and/or a pad pattern. 
     A material of the connection via layers  123  and  133  may also be a metallic material such as copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), silver (Ag), tin (Sn), gold (Au), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), titanium (Ti), or alloys thereof. Each of the connection via layers  123  and  133  may also be formed using a plating process such as AP, SAP, MSAP, TT, or the like, and as a result, each through via layer may include a seed layer, an electroless plating layer, and an electrolytic plating layer formed based on the seed layer. The connection via layers  123  and  133  may perform various functions depending on a design thereof. For example, the connection via layer may include a connection via for antenna connection, a connection via for signal connection, a connection via for ground connection, a connection via for power connection, or the like. Here, the connection via for signal connection may include a connection via for connection of various signals except for a connection via for antenna connection, a connection via for ground connection, and a connection via for power connection, for example, a connection via for feeding. The connection via may be completely filled with a metallic material, or the metallic material may be formed along a wall of a via hole. In addition, the connection via may have various shapes such as a tapered shape, and the like. 
     An antenna pattern  122 A of the antenna unit  120  may include a patch pattern  122 A 1 . An antenna pattern  112 A of the core portion  110  may also include a patch pattern  112 A 1 . The patch patterns  112 A 1  and  112 A 1  may receive an RF signal from the feed pattern  112 F of the core portion  110  and a feed pattern  132 F of the feed unit  130  and transmit the RF signal in a thickness direction (a Z-direction), and transmit the RF signal, transmitted in the thickness direction, to the feed pattern  112 F of the core portion  110  and the feed pattern  132 F of the feed unit  130 . The patch patterns  112 A 1  and  112 A 1  may have an intrinsic resonant frequency depending on intrinsic factors such as a shape, a size, a height, a dielectric constant of an insulating layer, for example, 28 GHz, 39 GHz, or the like. For example, the patch patterns  122 A 1  and  112 A 1  may be electrically connected to the feed pattern  112 F of the core portion  110  and the feed pattern  132 F of the feed unit  130  through a through-via for feeding a through via layer  115  of the core portion  110 , a connection via for feeding a connection via layer  133  of the feed unit  130 , and the like, and may thus transmit and receive a horizontal pole RF signal and a vertical pole RF signal, which is polarized each other. 
     The antenna pattern  122 A of the antenna unit  120  may include a first coupling pattern  122 A 2 . The first coupling pattern  122 A 2  may be disposed above the patch patterns  122 A 1  and  112 A 1 , for example, in a thickness direction. Through the patch patterns  122 A 1  and  112 A 1  according to the electromagnetic coupling of the first coupling pattern  122 A 2  and the patch patterns  122 A 1  and  112 A 1 , an antenna, applied to the antenna substrate  100 A, may have an additional resonant frequency adjacent to the intrinsic resonant frequency described above, resulting in a wider bandwidth. The first coupling patterns  122 A 2 , adjacent to each other and disposed on different levels, of the antenna unit  120 , may also be electromagnetically coupled to each other, and the antenna, applied to the antenna substrate  100 A, may have a wider bandwidth. 
     The antenna pattern  122 A of the antenna unit  120  may further include a second coupling pattern  122 A 3 . The second coupling pattern  122 A 3  of the antenna unit  120  may surround at least a portion of each of the patch pattern  122 A 1  and the first coupling pattern  122 A 2 , of the antenna unit  120 , and may thus be electromagnetically coupled with each of the patch pattern  122 A 1  and the first coupling pattern  122 A 2  of the antenna unit  120  as a result. The antenna pattern  112 A of the core portion  110  may also include a coupling pattern  112 A 2 . The coupling pattern  112 A 2  of the core portion  110  may surround at least a portion of the patch pattern  112 A 1  of the core portion  110 , and may thus be electromagnetically coupled with the patch pattern  112 A 1  of the core portion  110  as a result. The second coupling patterns  122 A 3 , adjacent to each other and disposed on different levels, of the antenna unit  120 , may be electromagnetically coupled to each other, and may be electromagnetically coupled to the coupling pattern  112 A 2  of the core portion  110 . Through such couplings, a balanced coupling may be provided. In this regard, a bandwidth of an antenna, applied to the antenna substrate  100 A, could be wider as compared with a size. 
     When an optimal connection point with a connection via and/or a through via at the patch patterns  122 A 1  and  112 A 1  is close to an edge of each of the patch patterns  122 A 1  and  112 A 1  in the first direction (for example: 0 degree direction), a surface current, flowing the patch patterns  122 A 1  and  112 A 1 , may flow to each of the patch patterns  122 A 1  and  112 A 1  in the third direction (for example: 180 degrees direction) according to the RF signal transmission and reception. In this case, a surface current may be distributed in the second direction (for example: 90 degrees direction) and the fourth direction (for example: 270 degrees direction), and the second coupling pattern  122 A 3  and the coupling pattern  112 A 2  may guide an RF signal, leaking to a side surface due to the distribution of the surface current in the second and fourth directions, in a direction of an upper surface. Accordingly, a radiation pattern of the patch patterns  122 A 1  and  112 A 1  may be concentrated in the direction of an upper surface, and thus antenna performance may be improved. For example, the second coupling pattern  122 A 3  and the coupling pattern  112 A 2  may be arranged repeatedly while each of the second coupling pattern and the coupling pattern has a substantially identical shape. Accordingly, a plurality of second coupling patterns  122 A 3  and a plurality of coupling patterns  112 A 2  may have electromagnetic bandgap characteristics, and may have a negative refractive index for the RF signal in a specific frequency band. Thus, the second coupling pattern  122 A 3  and the coupling pattern  112 A 2  may induce a path of an RF signal of the patch patterns  122 A 1  and  112 A 1  further in a thickness direction. 
     Each of the second coupling pattern  122 A 3  and the coupling pattern  112 A 2  may be electrically separated from the ground pattern  112 G. In this regard, since more adaptive characteristics may be provided with respect to the RF signal having a frequency adjacent to a frequency band of the patch patterns  122 A 1  and  112 A 1 , a bandwidth of an antenna, applied to the antenna substrate  100 A, may be further widened. The patch patterns  122 A 1  and  112 A 1 , the first coupling pattern  122 A 2 , the second coupling pattern  122 A 2 , and the coupling pattern  112 A 2  may be electrically separated from each other. Accordingly, since the equivalent capacitance and equivalent inductance of the antenna, applied to the antenna substrate  100 A, could be distributed in a balanced manner, a plurality of resonant frequencies of the antenna, applied to the antenna substrate  100 A, may be designed efficiently, and a bandwidth could be widened more easily. 
     The core portion  110  may include a ground pattern  112 G. The ground pattern  112 G may provide a boundary condition of the antenna applied to the antenna substrate  100 A. For example, an RF signal, emitted from the antenna, may be reflected. Accordingly, the antenna may be more concentrated in a thickness direction, the gain and/or directivity of the antenna could be further improved. The ground pattern  112 G may substantially block an antenna and a feed unit  130 , and thus electromagnetic isolation between the antenna and the feed unit  130  may be improved. Accordingly, noise flowing in an RF signal transmission process between an antenna and an RFIC  330  to be described later may be reduced. 
     The feed unit  130  may include a feed pattern  132 F. The feed pattern  132 F may be disposed below the ground pattern  112 G. The RF signal may flow in a horizontal direction (x-direction and/or y-direction) through the feed pattern  132 F. Thus, a plurality of antennas may be efficiently arranged above the ground pattern  112 G. The feed pattern  132 F may be electrically connected to the patch patterns  122 A 1  and  112 A 1 . 
     The passivation layers  140  and  150  are additional components which can protect an internal configuration of the antenna substrate  100 A according to an embodiment from external physical and chemical damage. Each of the passivation layers  140  and  150  may include a thermosetting resin. For example, each of the passivation layers  140  and  150  may be an ABF. However, it is not limited thereto, and each of the passivation layers  140  and  150  may be a known Solder Resist (SR) layer. Moreover, if necessary, PID may be included therein. Moreover, if necessary, a high rigid material such as a prepreg may be used for warpage improvement. The second passivation layer  150  may have a plurality of openings  150   h , and the plurality of openings  150   h  may expose at least a portion of a pattern layer  132  in a lowermost portion from the second passivation layer  150 . Meanwhile, a surface treatment layer may be formed on an exposed surface of a pattern layer  132  in a lowermost portion. The surface treatment layer may be formed using, for example, electrolytic gold plating, electroless gold plating, Organic Solderability Preservative (OSP) or electroless tin plating, electroless silver plating, electroless nickel plating/replacement plating, Direct Immersion Gold (DIG) plating, Hot Air Solder Leveling (HASL), or the like. Each of openings  150   h  may be composed of a plurality of via holes. An under bump metal (UBM) may be disposed on each opening  150   h  to improve reliability. 
     Each of the electronic components  310 ,  320 , and  330  may be a known active or passive component. Each of the electronic components  310 ,  320 , and  330  may be disposed in the surface mount type on the second passivation layer  150  below the feed unit  130  of the antenna substrate  100 A through an electrical connection metal formed on the plurality of openings  150   h , for example, a solder. Each of the electronic components  310 ,  320 , and  330  may be electrically connected to each of at least a portion of a pattern layer  132  of the feed unit  130 , and may also be electrically connected to each of at least a portion of the pattern layer  122  of the antenna unit  120  depending on the function. Each of the first and third electronic components  310  and  330  may be a semiconductor chip or a semiconductor package including a semiconductor chip. The semiconductor chip may be a PMIC  310  and/or an RFIC  330 , but is not necessarily limited thereto. The second electronic component  320  may be a passive component in the form of a chip, for example, a capacitor in the form of a chip, an inductor in the form of a chip, or the like. The antenna module  500  according to an embodiment may be provided through the arrangement of the electronic components  310 ,  320 , and  330 . The number of electronic components  310 ,  320 , and  330  is not particularly limited, and may further include other surface mount components in addition to the above-described types of the components. 
     If necessary, a connector  400  may be further disposed below the feed unit  130  of the antenna substrate  100 A. Through the connector  400 , the antenna module  500  may be physically and/or electrically connected to other components in an electronic device. For example, the antenna module may be connected to a mainboard of an electronic device through a connector, but it is not limited thereto. 
       FIG. 6  schematically illustrates antenna bandwidth effects of the antenna module of  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 7  schematically illustrates antenna gain effects of the antenna module of  FIG. 3 . 
     In the drawings, an example is a simulation result for a gain and an antenna bandwidth of an antenna module  500  to which a structure of an antenna substrate  100 A according to an embodiment described above is applied. Moreover, a comparative example is a simulation result for a gain and an antenna bandwidth of an antenna module to which an antenna substrate is applied in the case in which a thickness of an insulating layer  121  of an antenna unit  120  and a thickness of an insulating layer  131  of a feed unit  130  are equal to each other in a structure of an antenna substrate  100 A according to an embodiment. The thicknesses of the antenna modules according to an example and a comparative example are equal to each other, and the pattern design and the type of a component applied thereto are also the same. 
     Referring to the drawings, in a structure according to an example as compared with a structure according to a comparative example, a bandwidth at a low frequency of about 27.5 GHZ to about 28.35 GHZ is increased from about 1.06 GHz to about 1.13 GHz by about 6.6%. Moreover, a bandwidth at a high frequency of about 37 GHz to 40 GHz is increased from about 3.45 GHz to about 3.77 GHz. In this case, it can be seen that the bandwidth is increased by about 9%. Moreover, it can be seen that a gain at the low frequency is increased from about 3.75 dBi to about 4.02 dBi by about 7%, while a gain at the high frequency is increased from about 4.59 dBi to about 4.91 dBi by about 7%. 
       FIG. 8  is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating another example of an antenna substrate. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , in an antenna substrate  100 B according to another embodiment, a thickness t 1  of a core wiring layer  112  of a core portion  110  is greater than a thickness t 2  of each pattern layer  122  of an antenna unit  120  and/or a thickness t 3  of each pattern layer  132  of a feed unit  130 . In this regard, a ratio of a metal with excellent rigidity is increased, and thus a warpage improvement effect may be provided. 
     The antenna substrate  100 B according to another embodiment is also applied to an antenna module  500  according to an embodiment. 
     Other descriptions are substantially the same as described above in the antenna substrate  100 A and the antenna module  500  including the same according to the above-described embodiment, and thus a detailed description thereof will be omitted. 
       FIG. 9  is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating another example of an antenna substrate. 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 , an antenna substrate  100 C according to another embodiment is a rigid-flexible substrate having a rigid portion R and a flexible portion F. The flexible portion R refers to an area having the excellent bending performance (or being more flexible) as compared with the rigid portion R. The rigid portion R includes the core portion  110 , the antenna unit  120 , the feed unit  130 , and the passivation layers  140  and  150 , described above. The flexible portion F extends from the feed unit  130  of the rigid portion R. The electronic components  310 ,  320 , and  330  may be disposed on the rigid portion R. 
     The antenna unit  120  includes a plurality of first insulating layers  121   a , relatively flexible, and a plurality of second insulating layers  121   b , relatively rigid. The feed unit  130  also includes a plurality of first insulating layers  131   a , relatively flexible, and a plurality of second insulating layers  131   b , relatively rigid. Relatively flexible refers to relatively more bending characteristics. Relatively rigid refers to relatively greater rigidity. For example, each of the first insulating layers  121   a  and  131   a  may have a smaller elastic modulus than each of the second insulating layers  121   b  and  131   b . Each of the first insulating layers  121   a  and  131   a  includes a Flexible Copper Clad Laminate (FCCL) material such as PI. The flexible portion F may include first insulating layers  131   a  of the feed unit  130  and a pattern layer  132  formed on each of the first insulating layers  131 , but is not limited thereto. 
     The antenna substrate  100 C according to another embodiment is also applied to an antenna module  500  according to an embodiment. 
     Other descriptions are substantially the same as described above in the antenna substrate  100 A and the antenna module  500  including the same according to the above-described embodiment, and thus a detailed description thereof will be omitted. Meanwhile, characteristics of the antenna substrate  100 B according to another embodiment may also be applied to the antenna substrate  100 C according to another embodiment. 
       FIG. 10  is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating another example of an antenna substrate. 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , an antenna substrate  100 D according to another embodiment may be a coreless-type PCB. For example, the antenna unit  120  and the feed unit  130  may be in direct contact with each other. For example, the antenna unit  120  may further include an insulating layer  121  in a lowermost portion, in contact with an insulating layer  131  in an uppermost portion of the feed unit  130 . Pattern layers  122  may be disposed on both surfaces of an insulating layer  131  in a lowermost portion of the antenna unit  120 . The pattern layer  122 , disposed on an upper surface of an insulating layer  121  in a lowermost portion of the antenna unit  120 , may include an antenna pattern  122 A, for example, a feed pattern  122 A 1 . The pattern layer  122 , disposed on a lower surface of an insulating layer  121  in a lowermost portion of the antenna unit  120 , may include a ground pattern  122 G. The pattern layer  122 , disposed on a lower surface of an insulating layer  121  in a lowermost portion of the antenna unit  120 , may further include a feed pattern  122 F formed in a hole region of the ground pattern  122 G. A thickness of the insulating region, provided by an insulating layer  121  in a lowermost portion of the antenna unit  120 , may be greater than a thickness of an insulating region, provided by an insulating layer  131  in an uppermost portion of the feed unit  130 . 
     A connection via layer  123  in a lowermost portion, passing through an insulating layer  121  in a lowermost portion of the antenna unit  120 , may be a metal bump layer or a metal paste layer. For example, each of the antenna unit  120  and the feed unit  130  is formed except for an insulating layer  121  in a lowermost portion and a connection via layer  123  in a lowermost portion, and then, an insulating layer  121  in a lowermost portion and a connection via layer  123  in a lowermost portion are disposed between the antenna unit  120  and the feed unit  130 , and a batch lamination method is used to manufacture an antenna substrate  100 D according to another embodiment. A boundary between each of a metal bump layer and a metal paste layer and plating layers of the pattern layers  122  and  132  may be distinguished. 
     A plurality of connection via layers  133 , passing through a plurality of insulating layers  131  of the feed unit  130 , respectively, may also be a metal bump layer or a metal paste layer. For example, an antenna unit  120  is formed except for an insulating layer  121  in a lowermost portion and a connection via layer  123  in a lowermost portion, and then, a batch lamination method of respective layers, forming the antenna unit  120 , the insulating layer  121  in a lowermost portion, the connection via layer  123  in a lowermost portion, and the feed unit  130 , are used to manufacture an antenna substrate  100 D according to another embodiment. A boundary between each of a metal bump layer and a metal paste layer and plating layers of the pattern layers  122  and  132  may be distinguished. 
     The antenna substrate  100 D according to another embodiment is also applied to an antenna module  500  according to an embodiment. 
     Other descriptions are substantially the same as described above in the antenna substrate  100 A and the antenna module  500  including the same according to the above-described embodiment, and thus a detailed description thereof will be omitted. Meanwhile, characteristics of each of the antenna substrates  100 B and  100 C according to another embodiment may also be applied to the antenna substrate  100 D according to another embodiment solely or in combination. 
     As set forth above, according to example embodiments of the present inventive concept, an antenna substrate capable of improving antenna performance and an antenna module including the same are provided. 
     Moreover, an antenna substrate, in which miniaturization is possible, and an antenna module including the same are provided. 
     While example embodiments have been shown and described above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations could be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, as defined by the appended claims.