Qualcomm unveils 5G NR millimeter wave (mmWave), sub-6 GHz RF modules

Qualcomm recently announced their newest innovation which fully integrates a 5G NR mmWave (millimeter wave) antenna module family along with a sub-6 GHz RF module for smartphones and other mobile devices.

The QTM052 mmWave antenna module paired with a Qualcomm Snapdragon X50 5G modem makes it possible to integrate mmWave signals in a smartphone despite the fact that it not used for mobile wireless connections due to complications with its design. This integration allows solving the major problems like thermal, materials, form-factor, industrial design, and regulatory requirements for the radiated power of the said signal.

The antenna module and modem pair support advanced beam forming, beam steering, and beam tracking technologies that improve the range and reliability of the mmWave signals. They feature an integrated 5G NR radio transceiver, power management IC, RF front-end components, and phased antenna array that supports up to 800MHz bandwidth (26.5-29.5 GHz, 27.5-2835 GHz, and 37-40 GHz mmWave bands).

“Today’s announcement of the first commercial 5G NR mmWave antenna modules and sub-6 GHz RF modules for smartphones and other mobile devices represents a major milestone for the mobile industry. Qualcomm Technologies’ early investment in 5G has allowed us to deliver to the industry a working mobile mmWave solution that was previously thought unattainable, as well as a fully-integrated sub-6 GHz RF solution. Now, these type of modem-to-antenna solutions, spanning both mmWave and sub-6 spectrum bands, make mobile 5G networks and devices, especially smartphones, ready for large scale commercialization,” – Cristian Amon, Qualcomm Incorporated President

The QTM052 antenna module is optimized to a point that it can be integrated with up to four units in a smartphone. This allows OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) to further improve the industrial designs of their mobile devices with the benefit of having higher speeds thanks to the mmWave 5G NR.

In order to achieve broader 5G coverage, it needs to be in sub-6 GHz spectrum bands. The Qualcomm QPM56xx module family (QPM5650, QPM5651, QDM5650, QDM5652) allows smartphones with an integrated Snapdragon X50 5G modem to support the said spectrum band. The QDM5650 and QDM5652 feature integrated 5G NR LNA/switch and filtering subsystem for MIMO support while all of the modules have an integrated SRS switching required for 3.3-4.2GHz, 3.3-3.8GHz, and 4.4-5.0GHz sub-6 bands support.

The QTM052 mmWave antenna module family and the QPM56xx sub-6 GHz RF module family are now being sampled by manufacturers.

Source: Qualcomm