As we know 5G is the next proposed telecommunication standard. 5G aims at providing higher density of mobile broadband users and supporting device to device ultra reliable and massive machine communications. It also aims at lower latency and lower power consumption as compared to 4G. The 5G is to fulfill the following standards as per Next Generation Mobile network Alliance.

• Data rates of tens of megabits per second for tens of thousands of users
• Data rate of 100 Mb/s in metro cities
• It also aims at providing 1GB/s to many persons simultaneously working on the same floor
• Large number of connections (several hundreds of thousands) for wireless sensors for building wireless sensor networks
• It also aims at meeting increased demand of Internet of Things.
• 5G to provide improved spectral & signaling efficiency, improved coverage and lower latency.

Image Source - Reference 1

Keeping the above points in mind the Imec has launched two building blocks for 5G. Imec is the world leading research and innovation hub in nano-electronics and digital technology. Belgian research centre of Imec has launched two building blocks which are said to be the key for 5G applications featuring record low power consumption.

Image Source - Reference 2

The first block is successive approximation A/D converter (or ADC) operating at sub-6 GHz frequency range. 5G portable systems guarantee enormous network through significantly higher information rates, bring down idleness and lower battery utilization than current 4G guidelines. This ADC block is fast and compact which is useful for consumer electronics applications. The A/D converter has center range of 350 x 325µm, is created utilizing a 16nm CMOS process. Dynamic power utilization is said to be 3.6mW at 300Msample/s, with a flag to commotion and twisting proportion of 70.2dB at 204Msample/s. The other block is front end device said to be operating at a frequency of 60GHz with RF phase shifting and with on chip transmit receive switching capability. The main application of this block is in fixed 5G wireless access and small cell backhaul. RF front-end highlights eight way adjustment free beam forming to help a substantial number of receiving wires. According to imec, this feature makes this more alluring for fixed wireless access and small cell backhaul applications. The on chip transmit receive switching capability of the other block allows the antenna array to be shared with an area of 9.6mm2, the chip is targeted at a 28nm CMOS process. Power consumption of this chip in transmit mode is 508mW and 231mW in receive mode.

For 5G applications sub 6GHz band and 57-66GHz unlicensed band are explored. Imec is building novel IP blocks for 5G applications that includes record-breaking A/D converters, reconfigurable low-clamor recurrence synthesizers, millimeter wave staged exhibit handsets, radio wire modules. These building blocks indicate cutting edge execution, exceed expectations in low-control operation and are minimal effort by utilizing scaled CMOS advances according to Wim Van Thillo, program director perceptive systems at Imec.

By - Sandhya Sharma - Assistant Professor, ECE, Chitkara University, H.P.

References:-

1. https://www.cnet.com
2. https://www.imec-int.com/en/articles/imec-reports-world-class-low-power-ip-blocks-for-5g
3. http://www.newelectronics.co.uk/electronics-news/key-5g-building-blocks-launched-by-imec/160396/