A doctoral startup team from Tianjin University has developed a pioneering high-performance millimeter wave chip set compatible with multi-band, multi-standard 5G communication. This chip set is said to be the first of its kind globally to achieve full-frequency
coverage in the 5.5G/6G international communication protocols (n257/n258/n259/n260/n261).
As the influence of 5G communication continues to permeate daily life, the demand for millimeter wave chips with high-speed, high-capacity, and low-latency attributes has surged. These chips serve as the "heart" of both 5.5G/6G base stations and smartphones. However, existing mainstream international millimeter wave chips face limitations, as they can only cover 1-2 out of the 5 frequency bands, thereby hindering millimeter wave communication's full potentials in terms of high bandwidth and capacity. This constraint also curtails the growth and progress of interconnected industries.
The research group from Tianjin University's School of Microelectronics successfully developed the high-performance chip set with full-frequency range millimeter wave tailed for 5.5G/6G communication. They harnessed standard commercial silicon fabrication processes and accomplished notable advancements across key technological domains. These include introducing a novel transformer-based parallel-series load modulation technique that improves high power backoff efficiency for power amplifiers. Additionally, they devised a frequency multiplier technology that stands at the forefront of performance metrics like locked range, output power, chip area, and harmonic suppression.
Doctor Wang Zhipeng, leader of the research team, articulated the significance of their chip set, noting, "Our chip set will help our country break free from reliance on imports in the 5.5G/6G millimeter wave communication field. Through continuous technological innovation, we aim to steer the development of the domestic and international low-cost, high-performance millimeter wave communication integrated circuit industry."
By Eva Yin
