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Research update

Imec researchers pioneer a compact 8-bit, 8GS/s time-interleaved SAR analog-to-digital converter, and a power-efficient 140GHz T/R front-end module

Imec’s new SAR ADC and FEM demonstrate the viability of high-frequency (>100GHz) wideband wireless communication for next-generation mobile devices 

Summary

Successive generations of fixed and mobile network technologies have been developed and deployed to meet the demand for ever more throughput. Mobile networks, specifically, have focused on using higher radio frequencies, as higher frequencies equal more bandwidth.

Going forward, the next generations of mobile networks (including 6G) will most likely further extend to frequencies above 100GHz.

Yet, as frequencies increase, mobile networks’ underlying (chip) technologies come to face their limits, lacking the required transmit power and energy efficiency to tap into those frequencies in a cost-effective manner. 

This article provides an update on how imec intends to solve this issue, presenting two recent research outcomes that demonstrate the viability of high-frequency (>100GHz) wideband wireless communication for next-generation mobile devices.