Record-setting 8 Gbps data rate achieved using bidirectional 64-element link with phased-array beam-pointing capabilities—supports applications in 5G, aerospace and defense

Highlights:

• The demonstration made use of University of California (UC) San Diego transmit/receive phased-array chips with a noise figure less than 4.6 dB
• Uses TowerJazz high-performance SiGe BiCMOS SBC18H3 process
• Benefits from Keysight software and hardware for signal generation and analysis

SANTA ROSA, Calif., June 1, 2017

Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS) and the University of California San Diego (www.ece.ucsd.edu) today announced the world's fastest bidirectional phased-array link in the 28 GHz 5G band. The achievement is an important milestone for delivering future applications in 5G, aerospace and defense.

The demonstration included a 64-element array that achieved a data rate of 12 Gbps at 0 degrees and more than 8 Gbps over all scan angles up to ±50 degrees in azimuth and +/-25 degrees in elevation at a link distance of 300 meters. The array produced data rates of up to 18 Gbps at shorter distances. The bit-error-rate was less than 10-7 at maximum scan angles. The results did not rely on any calibration on the 64-element phased-array, thereby greatly reducing implementation costs.

The 64-element phased array, built on a low-cost printed-circuit board, only consumed approximately 7-11 W of DC power in either its transmit (Tx) or receive (Rx) modes thanks to the UC San Diego high-performance system-on-a-chip (SoC) designs that uses a third-generation silicon germanium (SiGe BiCMOS SBC18H3) process from TowerJazz.

UC San Diego used Keysight's Signal Studio software to define and generate the 16-QAM and 64-QAM waveforms, with single and multiple carriers. Keysight's 81199A Wideband Waveform Center software helped the team link the Tx and Rx units as well as improve the error vector magnitude (EVM) performance. The team also used Keysight's 89600 VSA software to perform demodulation, channel equalization and analysis of advanced signals.

Keysight's M8195A arbitrary waveform generator, E8267D PSG vector signal generator and DSOS804A high-definition oscilloscope were used to enable rapid prototyping as well as link equalization and state-of-the-art performance measurements across modulation bandwidths of up to 3 GHz frequencies.

"The results of our continuing collaboration with UC San Diego and the demonstrated advances in millimeter-wave technology provide critical proof of viability for 5G, especially in the fixed-broadband use case, which many pre-standardization efforts focus on," said Dr. Mark Pierpoint, vice president and general manager, Keysight Internet Infrastructure Solutions. "We are continuing to invest to create innovative solutions that enhance and accelerate the development of next-generation wireless communications."

"UC San Diego has once again worked with Keysight to demonstrate high-performance phased-array 5G communication links, now achieving 8-12 Gbps links at long ranges and with low power consumption," said Gabriel M. 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. "Keysight's equipment and software, along with the SBC18H3 technology from TowerJazz, have been instrumental to our success."

Additional Information

More information about Keysight's products used in the development of the 5G 28 GHz communication link is available at www.keysight.com/find/solution-5gtestbed. Images are available at www.keysight.com/find/5G28GHz-images.

For additional information about the UC San Diego's 28 GHz 5G phased-array SoCs and 64-element phased-arrays and its 5G communication research, contact professor Gabriel M. Rebeiz, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, +1 858 336 3186 or rebeiz@ece.ucsd.edu.

About Keysight in 5G

The development of 5G depends on up-to-date tools that let designers easily explore new signals, scenarios and topologies. Keysight's 5G solutions are ready to enable deeper insights as development evolves with the standard. In design and test, Keysight is helping industry leaders innovate across new and existing technologies as they transform ideas into reality. Additional information about Keysight's 5G design, test and measurement solutions is available at www.keysight.com/find/5G.

About Keysight Technologies

Keysight Technologies is a leading technology company that helps its engineering, enterprise and service provider customers optimize networks and bring electronic products to market faster and at a lower cost. Keysight's solutions go where the electronic signal goes, from design simulation, to prototype validation, to manufacturing test, to optimization in networks and cloud environments. Customers span the worldwide communications ecosystem, aerospace and defense, automotive, energy, semiconductor and general electronics end markets. Keysight generated revenues of $2.9B in fiscal year 2016. In April 2017, Keysight acquired Ixia, a leader in network test, visibility, and security. More information is available at www.keysight.com.

About UC San Diego                                                                              

The University of California San Diego is one of the leading universities in mixed-signal, microwave and mm-wave RFICs, digital communications, applied electromagnetics, optics and nano-electronics research, and is home to the Center for Wireless Communications. UC San Diego recently ranked fifth in the nation with an annual research budget exceeding $1 billion. The UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering ranks #13 in the USA according to the U.S. News & World Report best global universities ranking published in March 2017. The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department is led by 58 faculty and trains more than 760 graduate students per year. For more information, please visit www.ece.ucsd.edu and www.jacobsschool.ucsd.edu.

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