SKYWORKS SOLUTIONS, INC. Though 5G is already here, the technology remains in its infancy. For now, its promise of a hyper-connected, buffer-free world -- autonomous vehicles, remote surgery, Internet of Things and all -- remains unrealized.
But according to a new paper, published Tuesday in the journal Applied Physics Letters, enhanced ceramics could help 5G reach its full potential.
Authored by
The fifth-generation technology standard for cellular broadband, also known as 5G, utilizes two different frequency bands. Long-distance links use a lower band, 3 to 6 gigahertz, while the higher frequency band, 20-100 GHz, powers ultrafast data speeds.
The lower frequency band is not all that different from 4G, but the higher frequency band requires more support infrastructure -- because high frequency waves can't travel as far.
To amplify the signal of 5G's higher frequency band, engineers at
Researchers used the new ceramic to build a circulator, a three-port device that works like a traffic circle for broadband signals.
Most circulators are built with yttrium iron garnet, but scientists with
Though enhanced ceramic could encourage greater 5G adoption and unleash the technology's powerful potential, researchers acknowledge that circulators may soon be replaced by high-power gallium nitride-based switches.
"Millimeter-wave technology is likely to be the wild west for some time, as one technology may dominate only to be quickly supplanted by a different technology," Hill said.
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