Reconfigurable RF Components for Multifunction RF Systems

The proliferation of the wireless market has driven the demand for RF systems to dramatically increase functionality, frequency coverage, bandwidth, and efficiency; while simultaneously reducing power consumption and die size to save power and cost. For example, the highly complex RF systems in handset technology have seen a dramatic increase in frequency, operating bands, and complexity of signals with each generation (from 1G to 4G). The next generation (5G) will continue the trend to extend the frequency in to mm-waves due primarily to spectrum congestion, bandwidth, and data rate. DoD is facing comparable challenges in terms of increasing the frequency of operation, bandwidth, and functionality while maintaining cost and accelerating technology insertion (or time to market for commercial). This paper reports on the impact of these new challenges for RF components and discusses solutions under investigation.