Imec presented two key building blocks for future 5G applications featuring record low power consumption. The first is a fast and extremely compact successive approximation analog-to-digital converter (SAR ADC), designed for consumer electronics, such as mobile phones, operating in the below-6GHz frequency bands (4G/5G). Secondly, imec developed a 60GHz front-end with radio frequency (RF) phase shifting and on-chip transmit-receive switching, targeting 5G fixed wireless access and small cell backhaul applications.
Imec affiliation program
These building blocks are available to interested companies by joining imec’s industrial affiliation program, or through IP licensing. 5G mobile networks, promise massive connectivity through much higher data rates, lower latency and lower battery consumption than current 4G standards. To realize this, frequencies below 6GHz and also millimeter-wave frequencies, especially at the 57-66GHz unlicensed band, are explored, promising speeds of multi-Gb/s with low latency.
