The Power of Compound Semiconductors for D-Band Applications

The D-band is a very interesting frequency spectrum under consideration for the next generation of wireless communication where high data-rates, low latency and much reduced power consumption are envisioned to enable applications like holographic presence, AR/VR, autonomous driving, etc. But it comes with quite some challenges. Selecting the right technology for the different parts of the radio system is crucial to come up with unique, high-performing, and energy-efficient hardware solutions. But how do we do this? Is it going to be CMOS all the way? What are the alternatives to CMOS? Are compound semiconductors an option, and are these solutions sustainable and cost-efficient? And how do we blend all these different technologies and chips together? In this presentation, we will cover the advances in RF-tailored semiconductor technologies and heterogeneous integration for D-band applications and discuss the trade-offs and methodologies required to guide the technology choice.