DTechEx’s market report Antenna in Package (AiP) for 5G and 6G 2024-2034: Technologies, Trends, Markets offers valuable insights into the evolving landscape of antenna packaging for future generations of wireless technology.
Antenna-in-package (AiP) technology is essential for high-frequency telecommunications, as it enables the integration of antennas with RF components directly into semiconductor packages, unlike traditional discrete antennas.
This advancement, tailored for mmWave applications and potentially extending into the sub-THz spectrum for 6G, promises much smaller footprints and enhanced performance.
AiP technology continues to evolve as it goes towards higher frequency. Design choices regarding types of antenna elements, substrate technology, materials and integration of passive devices are pivotal.
The maturity of the supply chain and the manufacturing scalability are two key areas that should not be overlooked.
These two factors frequently act as a bottleneck for the adoption of new technologies, given their correlation with the final product cost.
Cost-effectiveness is a fundamental requirement in AiP technology.
Achieving affordability involves utilizing cost-effective packaging materials and processes, along with essential miniaturization efforts for seamless integration into consumer devices such as smartphones.
Additionally, meeting other prerequisites involves fabricating high-gain, broadband mmWave antenna arrays while simultaneously addressing electromagnetic compatibility, signal integrity and power integrity concerns.
Integration of quality factor passives into the package ensures optimal performance, with reliability maintained through efficient thermal dissipation.
Scalability further enables module design adaptation to diverse application needs.
More discussion regarding AiP technology can be found in IDTechEx’s report Antenna in Package (AiP) for 5G and 6G 2024-2034: Technologies, Trends, Markets.
Overview of AiP for 5G and 6G market and challenges:
The report references the AiP market as directly linked with the 5G mmWave and future 6G markets – as AiP is expected to be utilized in all 5G mmWave-based stations and 5G-enabled electronics like smartphones.
While 5G technology is progressively being commercialized worldwide, the report puts the primary focus as remaining on mid-band (sub-6 GHz) deployments.
IDTechEx reports that less than 10% of commercialized or pre-commercialized 5G services as of now are based on the mmWave frequency band. This, the report says, is partly due to the challenges faced by mmWave deployment with higher frequency signals prone to attenuation in the air and highly susceptible to obstacles in accordance with the laws of physics.
Telco operators prioritize creating cost-effective networks by maximizing coverage with minimal base stations.
The report, however, says that due to the shorter propagation distances of mmWave, approximately ten times more mmWave stations are required compared to 4G low-mid band stations to cover the same area.
As a result, national 5G coverage predominantly relies on low/mid-band and sub-6 GHz bands.
IDTechEx anticipates that mmWave bands will mainly serve data-intensive hotspots like crowded stadiums, supporting critical applications such as real-time streaming and uploading of high-definition videos.
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