SBIR Phase II: Power-Optimized Beamforming Front-End Technology for High-Capacity Millimeter-Wave Wireless Communications

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to develop a platform technology as an enabler of a wide range of high-throughput wireless communications for the next generation of broadband multigigabit connectivity. The millimeter-wave (mmWave) technology solves some of the key underlying challenges of mmWave radios and networks and is pivotal to a wide set of 5G/6G wireless applications, including fixed and mobile wireless access, among others.

As a building block of 5G/6G, this advanced wireless technology will enable rapid and robust roll-out of the next generation network. This project will enable network operators to rapidly roll-out advanced 5G wireless telecommunication networks and will allow service providers to deploy cost-effective broadband connectivity to millions of underserved users, bridging the digital divide.

The advanced wireless technology will serve a wide set of wireless related applications in the 5G/6G market. The solution may impact multiple industry sectors ranging from smart transportation and online healthcare to education, smart city initiatives, and manufacturing and semiconductor industries.

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project focuses on the development and implementation of the mmWave beamforming Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit (RFIC) as the core of a novel, power-optimized, beamforming, front-end technology. This technology uniquely provides a combination of ultra-high gain beamforming with significantly reduced power consumption and RF losses when compared to the conventional mmWave front-end technologies.

The mmWave front-end technology is based on a novel architecture along with high-performance sub-systems. The team will investigate and demonstrate the performance of this beamforming RFIC front-end architecture for adaptation in highly efficient and high-capacity wireless networks. Integrated as a wireless solution for Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), this technology offers significant cost savings and revenue boost for network and service operators and providers.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.