Heilind Electronics, an authorized distributor for TE Connectivity (TE), expands its WLAN product offering with the addition of TE’s new antenna product portfolio for Wi-Fi 6E. These antennas can support triple bands, including 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and the new 6 GHz band. With the increasing use of connected devices, there has been growing demand […]
Telecommunications
What is second-generation beamforming and digital beamforming?
Beamforming is an established technology for cellular communications and other applications (see the previous article on “What is beamforming?”). Beamforming was initially developed based on various analog signal chain techniques and processes. In general, beamforming combines antenna array elements to direct signals at controlled angles to maximize signal reception at specific receivers. Analog beamforming can […]
What is beamforming?
Beamforming is used in various applications, including sensor arrays, radar, biomedicine, WiFi, and wireless communications. It is an active approach that combines antenna array elements to direct signals at specific angles and create constructive interference. In contrast, other signals are subjected to destructive interference to maximize signal transmission and/or reception. Beamforming can improve the spatial […]
What is precoding and what are the benefits?
Precoding is the transmitter signal processing needed to affect the received signal’s maximization to specific receivers and antennas while reducing the interference to all other receivers and receiving antennas. Precoding involves preprocessing of the transmit signal in an RF system. As described below, precoding uses channel state information at the transmitter to improve performance and […]
Metamaterials for power and energy
The first two FAQs in this series considered the potential for metamaterials to have significant impacts on advanced optics, audio systems, thermal management, and various aspects of mmWave communications and radar. This final FAQ will consider the impact metamaterials are expected to have on energy harvesting (both solar electric and solar thermal) high-power long-distance power […]
SMD ceramic inductors feature high Q, high thermal stability
Würth Elektronik has expanded its WE-KI product family with further ceramic inductor variants in 0603 and 0805 packages. Now the portfolio includes over 300 models in four sizes from 0402 to 1008, optionally with ±2 and ±5 percent tolerance. With the new range of models, the available inductance values cover 1 to 1800 nH. The […]
mmWave antennas and antenna management for 5G
Antennas, antennas, and more antennas are one of the keys to successfully developing 5G new radio (NR) devices employing millimeter wave (mmWave) bandwidths. 5G NR handsets are highly complex devices. They have to handle the new 5G mmWave bands, including 4×4 multiple input and multiple output (MIMO) antennas, 3GPP specified Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access […]
What is the 5G RF/mmWave signal chain?
The 5G RF/mmWave signal chain is expected to be the same as, and different from, the RF signal chain for today’s LTE Advanced devices. 5G consists of two separate frequency bands, FR1 is mostly repurposed LTE bands, and FR2 bands are in the mmWave region. As a result, 5G in the FR1 frequencies can use […]
Basics of mmWave and its applications
The millimeter band spans from 30 to 300 gigahertz (GHz) and lies between the super high-frequency and far infrared bands, the lower part of which is the terahertz band. Radio waves in this band have wavelengths from ten to one millimeter; thus, radiation in this band is called millimeter waves, sometimes abbreviated MMW or mmWave. […]
Dual 5-V op amp sports 50-MHz gain-bandwidth, low input offset voltage, 6.5 nV/√Hz input voltage noise
STMicroelectronics’ TSV792 dual 5V operational amplifier (op-amp) combines 50MHz gain-bandwidth with precision attributes including low input offset voltage and extremely low input voltage noise of just 6.5nV/√Hz. The typical 50MHz gain-bandwidth product enables accurate amplification of high-frequency signals. Adding a fast slew rate of 30V/µs, the TSV792 is suited to photodiode-signal conditioning in battery-powered smoke detectors. […]