“Increasing development and adoption of wireless communications… RF systems are important”

Infineon, RF System/RFFE Components / Operating Principle Webinar on May 21
High power efficiency, system robustness, etc. required… New RF system market

[Editor's Note] RF systems are used in wireless communications, radar tracking, signal processing, and various other applications. The use of various portable wireless devices such as smartphones and IoT is increasing, and wireless technologies such as satellite communications are being integrated. Accordingly, the importance of RF systems is increasing, and the demand for efficiency and performance improvement is also increasing. In response to this trend, our magazine will hold a webinar with Infineon on May 21st on the topic of 'Understanding the Essential Technologies of Wireless Devices, RF Systems, RFFE Components, and Operating Principles.' Ahead of the webinar, we heard from Song Kyung-min, Director of the Power & Sensor Systems Business Unit at Infineon Korea, who will be participating as a speaker.

▲ Song Kyung-min, Director of Power & Sensor Systems Business Unit, Infineon Korea

■ Please explain why RF systems are receiving attention and their basic concepts.

Simply put, an RF system is a system that enables wireless communication using radio waves.

RF stands for radio frequency, and an RF system is a system that transmits data or processes signals using electromagnetic waves with frequencies ranging from 3 kHz to 300 GHz.

These systems consist of transceivers, antennas, wireless transceiver circuits, frequency converters, filters, amplifiers, and various signal processing devices.

RF systems transmit and receive radio waves through antennas, and are used in wireless communications, radar tracking, signal processing, and various other applications.

For example, cellular LTE/5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, radar, and satellite communications are all based on RF technology.

RF technology also plays an important role in industries such as automotive, aviation, and defense.
/> Recently, the use of various portable wireless devices such as smartphones and IoT is increasing, and wireless technologies such as ultra-wideband (UWB) and satellite communications are being integrated into them.

Accordingly, the importance of RF systems is increasingly highlighted, and the demand for improved efficiency and performance of RF systems continues to increase.

Continuous advancement of RF technology is essential for fast data transmission and stable communication.

■ As communications are incorporated into various devices, it is thought that market demands related to RF have also diversified. I am curious about the market demands related to RF systems and Infineon's response.

Digitalization across the globe is driving the adoption of wireless communication technologies such as cellular 4G/5G, Wi-Fi, and UWB, driving the demand for RF products across a wide range of industries and applications.

Accordingly, market demands have diversified, including faster data transmission, wider frequency range, higher power efficiency, and system robustness.

Additionally, as communications technologies are integrated into a variety of devices, new markets for RF systems are emerging.

To respond to these ever-changing market demands, Infineon provides new technologies and products through continuous research and development.

In particular, based on our understanding of various RF systems, we are focusing on developing and providing total RF solutions that focus on high performance, high energy efficiency, and miniaturization technologies, and are working to open up new markets such as automobiles, smart homes, industrial IoT, and unmanned aerial vehicles.

■ Please give a brief introduction to Infineon RF products and solutions.

Infineon has been developing RF products for a wide range of applications for over 60 years.

In fact, it was one of the first companies to develop a silicon germanium (SiGe)-based low-noise amplifier (LNA).

Infineon focuses on developing and delivering total RF solutions focusing on high performance, high energy efficiency and miniaturization based on its RF expertise and leading SiGe, RF CMOS and BiCMOS technologies.

RF MMIC LNA, RF CMOS switch, antennaOur comprehensive RF solutions, including tuning devices, RF couplers, RF transistors and diodes, are designed to meet our customers’ system requirements for the highest RF performance and reliable wireless connectivity.

This allows for higher data rates, better signal quality, and longer battery life.

■ The May 21 webinar will also cover the core components and functions of RFFE. What are the key points of the presentation related to RFFE?

In RF systems, the RF Front-End (RFFE) transmits and processes RF signals between the antenna and the transceiver, and has a significant impact on communication performance, i.e. stable high-speed data transmission and reception performance.

Basically, RFFE consists of basic elements such as filters, RF switches, low-noise amplifiers (LNAs), and power amplifiers (PAs).

Filters select signals in a desired frequency band and block signals in other frequency bands, while RF switches control the path of signals between multiple RF channels.

A low-noise amplifier (LNA) amplifies weak RF signals received at the receiver, which improves signal strength while minimizing the noise level of the signal.

A power amplifier, or PA, amplifies an RF signal so that it can be transmitted farther from the transmitter via an antenna.

In this webinar, we will take a deeper look into the RF switch and LNA functions, which are the core components of RFFE, and also cover the product selection method of how to choose the optimal product to meet various requirements depending on the application.

■ What are the RFFE application cases in wireless devices and what should be considered when selecting an RFFE?

RFFE can be easily found in all devices that support wireless communication, including smartphones, laptops, tablets, wearables, drones, access points, and IoT.

As mentioned earlier, RFFE has a significant impact on communication performance. The requirements for RFFE are very diverse and demanding, as they vary across applications such as LTE/5G, BT, Wi-Fi, GPS, and UWB.

When selecting RF products to configure RFFE, priority should be given to products with the best performance in the desired frequency band to ensure stable wireless connection.

The loss, gain, noise characteristics, and linearity of RF products over appropriate frequency bands and bandwidths determine the performance, sensitivity, and dynamic range of the entire RF system.

In addition, products should be selected by considering the control interfaces allowed in the system, such as MIPI, SPI, and GPIO.

Additionally, in portable wireless devices, i.e. battery-operated devices, power consumption must also be taken into consideration.

Power efficiency affects battery life and device efficiency, while size and weight are also important considerations for portable wireless devices.

■ Please give a word to e4ds readers

This webinar will provide an introduction to Infineon RF products and solutions, as well as an introduction to the basic components and operation of RF systems.

We hope that this webinar will help participants gain a greater overall understanding of RF systems and RFFE, and expand their knowledge in related fields.
We hope many of you will attend.