Firms Team Up to Boost Power Efficiency of Wi-Fi 6/6E Front-End Modules

Dec. 6, 2022

Skyworks’ front-end modules combine with Broadcom’s Wi-Fi 6/6E silicon to reduce FEM power consumption by up to 30%.

The Overview

The marriage of Skyworks Solutions’ front-end module (FEM) technology with Broadcom’s family of Wi-Fi 6/6E silicon has resulted in Skyworks’ Incredible Current & Efficiency (ICE) FEMs, which are claimed to delivery substantial gains in processing speed, latency, and system-level power efficiency.

Who Needs It & Why?

Wi-Fi 6/6E is a key element in our connected world. Besides bringing more functionality to mobile devices, it drives improved connectivity for IoT, private networks, and deployments in dense public areas as well as across new products. The Wi-Fi Alliance estimates that Wi-Fi 6/6E will surpass 80% of the total Wi-Fi market by 2025. FEMs are found in numerous Wi-Fi-related products such as routers, set-top boxes, and more.

Under the Hood

Wi-Fi 6/6E devices are typically equipped with multiple radio systems-on-chips (SoCs) driving up to 16 RF streams and FEMs. To dissipate the heat generated by these high-performance Wi-Fi systems often housed in small industrial form factors, manufacturers were previously forced to compromise between performance, the cost of thermal management, size, and design aesthetic.

The combination of Skyworks’ ICE FEMs and Broadcom’s Wi-Fi silicon enables manufacturers of products such as Wi-Fi routers to deliver a dramatic and material reduction of up to 30% in overall power dissipation, reducing product cost and simultaneously contributing to a greener planet. It's claimed that with these devices, equipment providers can offer more sustainable products, smaller form factors, enhanced reliability, and superior performance as compared to any alternative solutions.

About the Author

David Maliniak | Executive Editor, Microwaves & RF

I am Executive Editor of Microwaves & RF, an all-digital publication that broadly covers all aspects of wireless communications. More particularly, we're keeping a close eye on technologies in the consumer-oriented 5G, 6G, IoT, M2M, and V2X markets, in which much of the wireless market's growth will occur in this decade and beyond. I work with a great team of editors to provide engineers, developers, and technical managers with interesting and useful articles and videos on a regular basis. Check out our free newsletters to see the latest content.

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About me:

In his long career in the B2B electronics-industry media, David Maliniak has held editorial roles as both generalist and specialist. As Components Editor and, later, as Editor in Chief of EE Product News, David gained breadth of experience in covering the industry at large. In serving as EDA/Test and Measurement Technology Editor at Electronic Design, he developed deep insight into those complex areas of technology. Most recently, David worked in technical marketing communications at Teledyne LeCroy, leaving to rejoin the EOEM B2B publishing world in January 2020. David earned a B.A. in journalism at New York University.