News: Microelectronics
25 February 2020
Anokiwave announces full commercial release of third-generation 5G mmW IC family
Anokiwave Inc of San Diego, CA, USA – which provides highly integrated silicon core chips and III-V front-end integrated circuits for millimeter-wave (mmW) markets and active antenna-based solutions – has announced the commercial high-volume availability of what it claims is the industry’s most advanced and complete portfolio of silicon ICs for mmW 5G.
The latest generation brings a complete RF signal chain solution for all mmW bands in play – 24/26GHz, 28GHz and 37/39GHz – to the market while providing extensive functionality that simplifies the active antenna array design. The scalable architecture underpinning the mmW 5G IC family supports everything from mmW 5G macro-cells to small-cells to customer premises equipment (CPE) with a scalable architecture that supports each use case.
Focusing on the innovation that allows ICs to span the 5G use case spectrum with intelligent array solutions while partner GlobalFoundries (GF) of Santa Clara, CA, USA (one of the world’s largest semiconductor foundries, with operations in Singapore, Germany and the USA) provides the strength in full turnkey production and mmW test capabilities, Anokiwave has enabled the model of handset technology high-volume manufacturing for all 5G use cases.
“By harnessing the appropriate level of integration, three generations of active-antenna IC learning and cost structures only available on 300mm-diameter silicon processes, we have enabled total ownership for base-stations and small cells that resemble Wi-Fi access points,” says chief systems engineer David Corman. “Anokiwave ICs deliver the maximum number of options for performance, cost and functionality for mmW 5G,” he adds.
“The commercial availability of Anokiwave’s mmW IC portfolio is an important step in making 5G connectivity a reality,” comments Peter Rabbeni, VP Mobile and Wireless Infrastructure at GlobalFoundries. “Our differentiated RF SOI [silicon on insulator] solutions provide the optimal combination of performance, integration and power efficiency, and our turnkey services enable our clients such as Anokiwave to bring innovative 5G network architecture products to market quickly, enabling a host of new consumer, industrial and automotive applications,” he adds. “Realizing the power of 5G will not happen without the specialty solutions that GF delivers.”
The ICs are each packaged in a small WLCSP (wafer-level chip-scale package), easily fitting within the small lattice spacings at mmW. For ease of adoption of the technology and capabilities, Anokiwave offers evaluation kits that include boards with the IC, USB-SPI interface module with drivers, and all required cables.
