IBM and Ericsson announced a research breakthrough that may accelerate 5G networks launch and support new mobile enterprise and user experiences.
Ericsson and IBM have demonstrated a compact silicon-based millimeterWave (mmWave) phased array integrated circuit operating at 28GHz in a phased array antenna module designed for use in future 5G base stations.
More countries are opening up new frequency portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, including portions known as millimeter wave bands, which are more than 10 times higher than the frequencies currently used for current mobile devices.
IBM Research and Ericsson reached their breakthrough as a result of a 2-year collaboration that set out to develop phased array antenna designs for 5G.
IBM’s expertise in integrated phased array mmWave IC and antenna-in-package solutions, together with Ericsson’s expertise in circuit and system design for mobile communications, helped the team reach several new technological milestones.
Thomas Noren, senior advisor, Business Unit Network Products, Ericsson; and Dario Gil, vice president of Science & Solutions, IBM Research were instrumental in this 5G research.
The world’s first silicon-based mmWave phased array antenna module consists of four monolithic integrated circuits and 64 dual-polarized antennas, measures approximately 2.8″ by 2.8″, or about half the size of a typical smartphone. Achieving this compact form factor is necessary to support the vision of this technology’s widespread deployment, especially in indoor spaces and dense downtown areas.
The demonstration of concurrent dual-polarization operation in transmit and receive modes are yet another performance advance reported by the team. This capability enables one phased array antenna module to form two beams simultaneously, doubling the number of users to be served at the same time and so improving the overall value and economics of the technology.
At 28 GHz, each antenna is tiny and individually will support short communication distances, but combining multiple such antennas increases the range and enables steering of signals in specific directions. IBM and Ericsson said the phased array design supports beam-steering resolution of less than 1.4 degrees for high precision pointing of the beam towards users.
