Renesas expands 5G mmWave Beamformer portfolio

The integrated F5288 and F5268 transmitter/receiver (8T8R) chipsets sit on a small 5.1mm x 5.1mm BGA package and feature a high Tx output power capability in silicon – delivering more than 15.5dBm linear output power per channel. With this combination, Renesas enables cost-efficient radio design with extended signal reach for wireless infrastructure applications including wide-area, small cell and macro base stations, as well as CPE, fixed wireless access (FWA) access points, and various other applications.

The F5288 and F5268 ICs feature a Dynamic Array Power (DAP) technology that enables high-efficiency operation at linear output power levels programmable from 10dBm up to 16dBm. This makes the third-generation ICs suitable for use in mobile and fixed wireless applications with a wide range of output power requirements. This flexibility allows communications customers to reduce design times by repurposing their antenna array designs across 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 basestation and FWA designs for long-range wireless applications.”

Renesas’ third-generation mmWave beamformer ICs address all the beamforming capabilities required by 5G systems while achieving the highest linear RF output power in any silicon technology with high efficiency. 

The ICs’ dual-polarisation 8-channel architecture provides a symmetric and low loss antenna routing network to improve overall antenna efficiency and reduce board costs. The exposed die package allows for more efficient thermal management at the board with improved heat dissipation through the back of the IC. In addition, Renesas designed the package pinmap to simplify board design and reduce design risks. Lower complexity PCB design with minimum layer counts results in reduced board costs and faster time to market.

Dynamic array power technology allows for a graceful scaling of output power with high efficiency. ArraySense technology with comprehensive on-chip sensor network allows users to monitor IC performance in array operation and apply critical corrections real-time. RapidBeam advanced digital control technology enables simultaneous synchronous and asynchronous control of several beamformer ICs to achieve extremely fast beamsteering operations.