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Samsung develops key RFIC chip for 5G

Samsung Electronics has developed 5G RF Integrated Circuit (RFIC) chips that it says will allow commercial deployment of the next-generation network in 2018.
Written by Cho Mu-Hyun, Contributing Writer

Samsung Electronics has successfully completed the development of 5G RF Integrated Circuit (RFIC) that will be used in base stations and radio access products for the next-generation network, the company announced.

The South Korean tech giant said the chips will allow deployment of the 5G network at 20Gbps data transfer speeds as early as 2018.

The RFIC is designed to greatly enhance performance of 5G access units, or base stations. The company said it focused on making it low cost, compact, and efficient.

The chip incorporates a high-gain, high-efficiency power amplifier that it developed last June, and can provide extended coverage in the millimeter wave band.

Because 5G will use high frequency spectrum, extending the coverage in millimeter wave bands with more base stations compared to 4G is seen as a crucial barrier to overcome.

The next-generation network will be used for 28GHz millimeter wave bands in the US, South Korea, and Japan.

The chip also reduces phase noise in the operating spectrum, allowing clear radio signals in noisy areas. It has a compact chain of 16 low loss antennae.

Last year, Samsung and compatriot SK Telecom successfully trialled handover tech in 5G in the 28GHz spectrum.

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