Design targets FCC plans for licensing
28GHz communications band
Phased array technology available now to
meet emerging billion dollar 5G markets
TowerJazz, the global specialty foundry leader,
and The University of California, San Diego (UCSD), a recognized
leader for microwave, millimeter-wave, mixed-signal RFICs, and
phased arrays, demonstrate for the first time, a greater than 12
Gbps, 5G phased-array chipset. This chipset demonstrates that
products can be fabricated today to meet the emerging 5G telecom
standards for the next wave of worldwide mobile communications. The
chipset operates at 28 to 31 GHz, a new communications band planned
for release by the FCC. The chipset uses TowerJazz’s high volume
SiGe BiCMOS technology, with record performance at the 28GHz band,
representing a more than 10-times improvement in data rate vs. 4G
LTE, and today meets many other technical specification
requirements of the emerging 5G standard.
5G Status and Recent Announcements
- The FCC in July 2016 released plans to provide new frequency
spectra to market ahead of agreed upon 5G (fifth generation)
wireless standards. This included licensed spectra around 28, 37-40
GHz bands and an unlicensed 64-71 GHz band.
- Recent reports (Jan 2017) have stated that 5G communications
could foster a $12 trillion economy in 2035 (IHS Markit), and in
the next seven years $275 billion in spending on infrastructure
could result from 5G implementation in the USA (CTIA/Accenture
report).
- Though 5G standards have not yet been fixed, several reports
from the world’s leading network service providers suggest 5G data
rates will be 1 to 10 Gbps, compared to the 4G standards which are
100 Mbps up to 1 Gbps.
- 5G demos are beginning worldwide. Verizon has stated that it
will begin pre-trials of 5G in the USA using the 28 GHz band, and
will “achieve some level of commercialization” in 2017.
About the 5G Chip Sets and H3 Process
The 5G transmit and receive chipsets reported
today achieved more than 12 Gbps data rates at 30 meters
separation, and greater than 3 Gbps when separated by 300 meters,
using two polarizations. The UCSD chip utilizes 16-64-256 QAM
(quadrature amplitude modulation) schemes to achieve these data
rates. The measured EVM (error vector magnitude), a figure of
merit used to determine the quality of the data received, suggests
both chipsets are already performing at 4G LTE levels. The
64-QAM link reported today at 12 Gbps, has an EVM < 5% at 30
meters. The 16 QAM link at 3 Gbps has an EVM <12% at 300m
and over all scan angles, and all with no FEC or equalization. The
system operates in a dual-polarization mode. In addition, the
4 x 8 (32-element) phased-arrays use SiGe core chips and are
assembled on a multi-layer printed-circuit board together with the
antennas. Record figures of merit such as NF (Noise Figure),
EIRP (Equivalent Isotropically Radiated Power), and EVM have been
demonstrated.
“The TowerJazz H3 platform is truly great, and
allows for 13-20 dBm transmit power per element with high PAE
(power-added efficiency) of 20% at 28 GHz. Also, it offers very
low-noise transistors resulting in an LNA NF of 2.4 dB at 28 GHz,
high-Q inductors and low-loss transmission-lines for on-chip power
distribution,” said Prof. Gabriel Rebeiz, member of the U.S.
National Academy of Engineering, distinguished professor and
wireless communications industry chair at the UC San Diego Jacobs
School of Engineering.
By using TowerJazz’s SiGe BiCMOS technology,
UCSD’s design team, led by graduate student Kerim Kibaroglu and
post-doctoral fellow Mustafa Sayginer, and with the use of
state-of-the-art Keysight equipment such as the 8195A Arbitrary
Wave Generator, the DSOS804A Digital Scope and the Signal Studio
suite with the VSA software, was able to achieve record links at 30
to 300 meters over all scan angles. Prof. Rebeiz added, “We thank
TowerJazz for this wonderful process and look forward to continued
collaboration.”
Today, peak wireless data rates for 4G LTE can
be up to 1 Gbps, but are nominally lower around 100 to 300
Mbps. Here, TowerJazz has demonstrated more than 10x those
speeds using the UCSD 5G next-generation mobile designs made with
its high volume H3 technology.
“We continue to release additional technology
nodes, e.g. our H5 and H6, which have even lower noise devices and
higher speed capabilities. These technologies will enable 5G
designers to further increase data rates through higher QAM
modulation schemes, or shrink chip sizes and increase the distance
over which these 5G chips can perform,” said Dr. David Howard,
Executive Director and TowerJazz Fellow. “Also, as we
add new features to our SiGe Terabit Platform, we support easy
evolution of customer technology for fast time to market. This
allows our customers to grow their technology roadmap and products
as the 5G standards evolve.”
AvailabilityThe SBC18H3 process, as well as H4,
H5 processes, are available through TowerJazz at www.towerjazz.com.
Chips used in the technology demonstrations are available from UCSD
and interested parties should contact Prof. Gabriel M. Rebeiz;
Department of Electrical and Computing Engineering at UCSD,
858/336-3186 or rebeiz@ece.ucsd.edu.
About Phased ArraysPhased arrays allow the
electronic steering of an antenna beam in any direction and with
high antenna gain by controlling the phase at each antenna element.
The radiated beam can be “moved in space” using entirely electronic
means through control of the phase and amplitude at each antenna
element used to generate the beam. This beam steering technique is
much more compact and much faster than mechanically steered arrays.
Furthermore, phased arrays allow the creation of deep nulls in the
radiation pattern to mitigate strong interference signals from
several different directions. They have been in use since the 1950s
in defense applications and are receiving intense commercial
interest for automotive (radars) and communication (5G) chip
markets.
About UCSDThe University of
California, San Diego, is one of the leading Universities in
mixed-signal, microwave and mm-wave RFICs, digital communications,
applied electromagnetics, RF MEMS (microelectromechanical systems)
and nano-electronics research, and is home to the Center for
Wireless Communications. UCSD has an annual research budget
exceeding $850M, and its Jacobs School of Engineering is ranked as
Number 17 in the US-News and World Report 2015 ranking. The
Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, consisting of 46
teaching tenured faculty, trains approximately 400 graduate
students per year. For more information, please visit
www.ece.ucsd.edu and www.ucsd.edu.
About TowerJazzTower Semiconductor Ltd.
(NASDAQ:TSEM) (TASE:TSEM) and its fully owned U.S. subsidiaries
Jazz Semiconductor, Inc. and TowerJazz Texas Inc., operate
collectively under the brand name TowerJazz, the global specialty
foundry leader. TowerJazz manufactures integrated circuits,
offering a broad range of customizable process technologies
including: SiGe, BiCMOS, mixed-signal/CMOS, RF CMOS, CMOS image
sensor, integrated power management (BCD and 700V), and MEMS.
TowerJazz also provides a world-class design enablement platform
for a quick and accurate design cycle as well as Transfer
Optimization and development Process Services (TOPS) to IDMs and
fabless companies that need to expand capacity.
To provide multi-fab sourcing and extended
capacity for its customers, TowerJazz operates two manufacturing
facilities in Israel (150mm and 200mm), two in the U.S. (200mm) and
three additional facilities in Japan (two 200mm and one 300mm)
through TowerJazz Panasonic Semiconductor Co.
(TPSCo), established with Panasonic Corporation of which
TowerJazz has the majority holding. Through TPSCo, TowerJazz
provides leading edge 45nm CMOS, 65nm RF CMOS and 65nm 1.12um pixel
technologies, including the most advanced image sensor
technologies. For more information, please visit www.towerjazz.com
or www.tpsemico.com.
Safe Harbor Regarding Forward-Looking
StatementsThis press release includes forward-looking
statements, which are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual
results may vary from those projected or implied by such
forward-looking statements. A complete discussion of risks and
uncertainties that may affect the accuracy of forward-looking
statements included in this press release or which may otherwise
affect TowerJazz’s business is included under the heading "Risk
Factors" in Tower’s most recent filings on Forms 20-F, F-3, F-4 and
6-K, as were filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
“SEC”) and the Israel Securities Authority and Jazz’s most recent
filings on Forms 10-K and 10-Q, as were filed with the SEC,
respectively. Tower and Jazz do not intend to update, and expressly
disclaim any obligation to update, the information contained in
this release.
Press release (PDF):
http://hugin.info/167229/R/2081477/784057.pdf
TowerJazz Company/ Media Contact: Lauri Julian | +1-949-280-5602 | lauri.julian@towerjazz.com
TowerJazz Investor Relations Contact: Noit Levi | +972-4-604-7066 | noit.levi@towerjazz.com
UCSD Contact: Prof. Gabriel M. Rebeiz | 858/534-8001 | rebeiz@ece.ucsd.edu
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