In the race to implement mainstream 5G wireless communications, focus has shifted to increasing bandwidth capacity using frequencies greater than 20 GHz in the millimeter-wave (mmWave) spectrum. Because of the known range and path loss limitations of high frequencies, mmWave signals require much smaller antennas, which can be tightly packed together to create a single, narrowly focused beam for point-to-point communication with greater reach.
The design challenge becomes finding the right RF filter technology that can fit into the size constraints of integrated beamforming antennas. In addition, the filter’s manufacturing tolerances and temperature stability can also affect bandwidth capacity.