Asianometry How Moore’s Law Revolutionized RF-CMOS
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Apr 3, 2025 Discover how Moore's Law reshaped radio frequency technology, leading to sleek designs in today's cellphones. Delve into the breakthroughs of RF-CMOS chips and their impact on telecommunications since the early 2000s. Explore the current challenges of power leakage and miniaturization in next-gen cellular communication, especially with the emergence of 6G technologies. The discussion raises intriguing possibilities, including a potential return to legacy technologies to boost performance.
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RF Chips and Their Functionality
- RF chips are microelectronics operating between 100 MHz and 100 GHz or more.
- The front-end module sends and receives signals, involving baseband, carrier frequency, and a superheterodyne transceiver.
Key Transistor Metrics for RF
- A transistor's cutoff frequency, ideally 10x the operating frequency, determines its suitability for RF.
- Noise and power are crucial; transistors should minimize noise and maximize output power for clear signal reception.
Silicon's RF Limitations
- Silicon MOSFETs dominate digital logic but were initially unsuitable for RF due to speed limitations.
- Research focused on 3-5 semiconductors for RF because silicon couldn't handle gigahertz frequencies.