5G Antenna Design for Mobile Phones

5G is upon us, with the first smartphones supporting 5G expected on the market in 2019. The promise of higher speed for high data rate communication and lower latency for real-time interaction is alluring for users. Video traffic is expected to account for 73% of all mobile data traffic by 2023, and new video formats like 360-degree video will require four to five times the bandwidth of today's videos.

But what are the implications for antenna design in the high-end smartphone? Key to realizing the potential of 5G is the inclusion of multiple antenna systems to exploit smart beamforming for high data rate transmissions in the big bandwidth mm-wave frequency bands, and massive MIMO in the 1-7 GHz "mid-band" frequency range. This e-seminar will explore the design and simulation aspects related to both.

Initially, support for 5G will be in already available 4G frequency bands. But can those same antennas be used - perhaps with minor modification - in the neighboring new 3 GHz bands? How can mm-wave arrays function effectively when integrated in a metal-backed smartphone? We will address these questions and discuss how performance of these new small antennas will be influenced by the user handling the phone.

New standards bring new regulations. In the mobile phone industry, human exposure is a key consideration for certification. This eSeminar will investigate what is different about human exposure to electromagnetic fields in the 5G mm-wave frequency range and discuss the proposed standards for ensuring our safety.

Dr. Marc Rütschlin is Senior Portfolio Technical Specialist for Microwaves & RF, working on the technical formulation, positioning and marketing of microwave and high frequency related electromagnetic simulation solutions across industries. Prior to his current role, Marc worked for CST as a Principal Engineer, global Market Development Manager (MW&RF) and Industry Development Manager (High Tech). He joined CST in 2007 after completing his PhD in Electronic Engineering at the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa, and post-doctoral studies at NIST in Boulder, Colorado, and at the University of Karlsruhe in Germany, working on electromagnetic wave propagation in buildings and small antenna design respectively.