Magnetic nanoferrites for RF CMOS: Enabling 5G and beyond

Abstract

This article focuses on two of the proposed frequency bands, centered around 6 GHz and 28 GHz, which are designated for connected vehicles and indoor hotspot applications. Demanding KPIs of various applications call for innovation in radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) design. Printing/pasting a composite layer of pre-processed ferrite powder in a polymer matrix can be a low-temperature CMOS-compatible process for 5G communication technology. The technological shift towards higher frequency for the looming 5G systems brings countless challenges, providing boundless opportunities to innovate, so as to meet the demanding specifications of high frequency integrated circuits. Development of CMOS-compatible low-temperature deposition of ferrite films and the integration of such a deposition method into the semiconductor processing technology is the immediate necessity to address these challenges.