PRESENTATION
Designing MMICs for 5G
5G presents many opportunities for MMIC designs using compound semiconductor processes, especially at mmWave frequencies. High performance and cost-effective components are required to fulfil the potential of the mmWave (FR2) 5G bands. PRFI, a UK design house, has designed numerous components targeting 5G applications, including power amplifiers, low noise amplifiers, RF switches and front-end modules. The presentation will describe how this work started with GaAs MMICs and has expanded into using GaN-on-SiC as suitable processes have become commercially available. Measured results of 5G-suitable MMICs will be presented, and some of the key challenges associated with the design, simulation, and packaging of these ICs will be discussed.
Robert Smith
PRFI
Dr. Robert Smith works for PRFI, where he designs mmWave GaN power amplifiers, broadband MMICs, LNAs and RF switches. His experience encompasses designing on GaAs and GaN processes at Qorvo, Wolfspeed and WIN Semiconductors. Before joining PRFI, Robert worked for Thales in the Netherlands, where he designed transmitter modules for active phased array radar. He received a Ph.D. in microwave engineering from Cardiff University, where he specialised in broadband power amplifier design. Dr. Smith is a reviewer for IEEE Microwave and Wireless Component Letters, has written multiple conference and industrial journal papers and is on the Editorial Review Board for Microwave Journal.