RF Devices And Technology

Deep analysis of the world’s first fully integrated high-power 5G mmWave antenna module for Customer Premise Equipment fixed wireless access.

This full reverse costing study has been conducted to provide technology data, manufacturing cost and selling price of the QTM527 5G millimeter wavelength (mmWave) antenna module supplied by Qualcomm. More details are available on Qualcomm’s website.

The extended range Qualcomm QTM527 mmWave antenna module was developed for the antenna router in 5G customer premise equipment (CPE). The CPE equipped with the QTM527 can have up to 64 dual polarization antenna elements. Each QTM527 is a 16 patch Antenna on Package (AoP) component. The 64 antennas are obtained by the integration of four components on the same PCB.

The flagchip component supports up to 800MHz of bandwidth in the n257 28GHz, n258 26GHz, n260 39GHz and n261 28GHz bands. The lower frequencies are managed by other components and antennas.

The transceiver die is powered by a power management integrated circuit (PMIC) die to optimize the power consumption of the CPE and probably the envelope tracking. The transceiver and the PMIC are assembled with passives on the substrate of the AoP. The 3GHz signal input is performed by two coaxial connectors, one providing a horizontal signal, and one a vertical signal.

To provide extensive range radiation, beamforming, beam steering and 2×2 Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) implementation, the QTM527 antenna module is almost four times bigger than the QTM535.  In addition, 16 antennas are integrated in each AoP, implementing up to 64 horizontally and vertically polarized antennae elements. Analysis of the AoP reveals several innovations taken from the smartphone AoP, like complex printed circuit board (PCB) structures with embedded filters and antenna systems, similar transceivers and PMIC implementations.

This report includes a full investigation of the system, featuring a detailed study of the AoPs, including die analyses, processes and board cross-sections with an X-Ray Computed Tomography (CT) scan for the AoP. It contains a complete cost analysis and a selling price estimation of the system. Finally, it features a technical and cost comparison with the QTM525 from Qualcomm.

Overview / Introduction

• Executive Summary
• Reverse Costing Methodology

Company Profile

• Qualcomm
• QTM527 Characteristics
• Supply Chain
• Market Analysis

Physical Analysis 

• Summary of the Physical Analysis
• Package Analysis
  • Module Views
  • Module opening
  • Module X-Ray
  • Module Cross-Section
• Qualcomm Transceiver Die

üDie View & Dimensions

• • Die Delayering & Cross-Section
• Qualcomm PMIC Die
  • Die View & Dimensions
  • Die Delayering & Cross-Section

Manufacturing Process 

• Global Overview
• Qualcomm Transceiver Die
• Qualcomm PMIC Die
• Packaging

Cost Analysis

• Yield Hypothesis
• Qualcomm Transceiver Die
• Qualcomm PMIC Die
• Packaging Cost
• Component Cost

Selling price

Cost Comparison

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