5G mmWave beamformer portfolio offers high-efficiency

Renesas Electronics Corporation has expanded its 5G beamformer IC family with two new dual-polarisation mmWave devices optimised for 2x2 antenna architecture for 5G and broadband wireless applications providing best-in-class performance at n257, n258, and 261 bands. The highly integrated F5288 and F5268 transmitter/receiver (8T8R) chipsets are set on a small 5.1mm x 5.1mm BGA package and offer what is claimed to be the industry’s highest Tx output power capability in silicon – giving more than 15.5dBm linear output power per channel. With this combination, the company facilitates cost-efficient radio design with extensive signal reach for wireless infrastructure applications, including wide-area, small cell and macro base stations, plus CPE, FWA access points, and multiple other applications.

The new ICs provide a unique Dynamic Array Power (DAP) technology that allows high-efficiency operation at linear output power levels programmable from 10dBm up to 16dBm. This makes the third-generation ICs perfect for mobile and fixed wireless applications with a wide range of output power demands. This flexibility enables communications customers to decrease design times by repurposing their antenna array designs over different applications.

“Adequate signal range – or lack thereof – remains the biggest challenge as the industry shifts to 5G mmWave technologies for both urban and suburban mobile and fixed wireless networks,” said Naveen Yanduru, vice president of RF Communications Product Division at Renesas. “Renesas’ new beamformer ICs are a game-changer for this evolving market, offering small, integrated beamforming solutions with high output power that enable communications customers to implement cost-effective base station and FWA designs for long-range wireless applications.”

The ICs also feature various Renesas’ state-of-the-art technologies to improve array-level performance. DAP technology provides for a graceful scaling of output power with high efficiency. ArraySense technology with an extensive on-chip sensor network enables users to monitor IC performance in array operation and implement critical corrections in real-time. RapidBeam advanced digital control technology facilitates simultaneous synchronous and asynchronous control of several beamformer ICs to deliver extremely fast beam steering operations.