Qualcomm Technologies has announced the launch of its ultraSAW filter technology, a groundbreaking thin-film innovation that offers game-changing performance improvements over existing BAW technologies. RF filters isolate radio signals from the different spectrum bands that phones use to receive and transmit information. By achieving as much as 1 decibel (dB) improvement in insertion loss, Qualcomm ultraSAW filters offer a higher performance solution compared to competing bulk-acoustic (BAW) filters in the sub-2.7 GHz frequency range.
Qualcomm ultraSAW technology achieves superior filter characteristics to deliver high performance in frequencies from 600 MHz to 2.7 GHz with a range of benefits including:
- Excellent transmit, receive and cross isolation
- High-frequency selectivity
- A Q-factor as high as 5000 or even higher – significantly higher than the quality factor of competing BAW filters
- Very low insertion loss
- Excellent temperature stability with very low temperature drift in the single-digit ppm/Kelvin range.
This allows for more power-efficient RF paths in 5G and 4G multimode mobile devices – and at a lower cost point than competing commercial solutions with similar performance metrics for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
calibrated measurements in Qualcomm Technologies’ labs comparing Qualcomm ultraSAW pre-commercial components with commercially available products
Qualcomm ultraSAW serves as a key technology for driving the performance of Qualcomm Technologies’ cutting-edge RFFE product portfolio and Qualcomm Snapdragon 5G Modem-RF Systems further. The company is integrating Qualcomm ultraSAW technology across its product line including PA modules (PAMiD), front-end modules (FEMiD), diversity modules (DRx), Wi-Fi extractors, GNSS extractors, and RF multiplexers.
Improved RF performance helps OEMs bring 5G devices with superior connectivity and battery life to consumers. With a lineup of discrete and integrated Qualcomm ultraSAW products beginning production this quarter, OEM flagship devices using the technology are expected to be commercially available in the second half of 2020.
