Industry Workshops

The next generation of wireless connectivity network will incorporate increasing intelligence to efficiently and reliably address emerging applications like XR, teleporting, low latency links for and among automated vehicles. At the heart of this future intelligent network, there’ll be hardware based on novel technologies and materials that can enable high data throughput and energy-efficient sustainable connectivity.
This workshop will highlight examples of some of the R&D activities ongoing in the industry in terms of emerging materials and technologies covering 3 key aspects a) engineered substrate b) innovative RF technologies and c) wafer-scale packaging with heterogeneous integration.

Phased Array Antennas (PAAs) are crucial in satellite communications, where beamforming plays a vital role. Circular Polarization (CP) is widely used in satellite applications, requiring an axial ratio (AR) 3 dB, wide frequency range, and scanning angle.
This workshop will discuss efficient evaluation of CP performance using PAAs, including influential factors like phase and gain variations. The PAA under test will be the Fujikura FutureAccessTM Phased Array Antenna Module (PAAM) and we will report on the importance of accurate Over-The-Air (OTA) testing and demonstrate CP performance using Rohde & Schwarz equipment.

This workshop explores recent developments in design, analysis, and implementation workflows driven by electromagnetic (EM)/thermal analysis, RF circuit/antenna co-simulation, and phased array synthesis addressing hardware-validated silicon-to-antenna co-design for emerging 5G applications at 48GHz, the n262 band. A link budget analysis of FEM in a system simulator determines block specifications catering to early package, PCB floorplanning, and thermal challenges. Co-design of FEM with packaged antenna is implemented on Samsung’s 14nm FinFeT process, including low-power LNAs and reliable p-FinFET PAs. The presented unified chip, package, PCB co-design methodology highlights importance of heterogeneously integrated workflows for first-pass silicon success at advanced mmWave.

3D Heterogeneous Integration (3DHI) promises to bring the ‘holy grail’ of technology advancements: best of breed ICs, dense packaging, and reconfigurable, vendor-agnostic ‘plug and play’ solutions. But how will you choose the right ICs, interposers, and packages, and how will you actually design these complex systems with commercial EDA tools? Participants will learn about the latest trends in heterogeneous integration, technologies specifically designed to address dense packaging of these components, and finally will walk through a demonstration of an EDA tool flow for analysis of electrical, EM, and thermal behavior of a complete 3DHI assembly for phased array applications.

IC geometries continue to shrink, but raising manufacturing cost and process limitations lead designers to consider innovative and unique packaging and die stacking configurations to satisfy growing system requirements. Join our workshop to see how stacked die, 2 1/2D, and 3D designs can be configured and integrated in Heterogeneous Integration or Multi-Chip Modules. See how simulation and analysis tools are used in an integrated fashion to tune and center the system under process corners and manufacturing tolerances with EM and Thermal analysis effects. All within a design flow with LVS and DRC capabilities leading to successful manufacturing.

Communications systems such as 5G, 6G, and Satcom as well as radar applications consistently rely on phased array systems. The growing complexity of the antenna array has a key impact on the system performance and overall cost. In this workshop, we cover best practices for accurate antenna characterization in the near and far field. Once the array is characterized, we will show how to use measurements to optimize and tune algorithms for calibration and correction in conjunction with beamforming architectures. We will demonstrate the use of AI techniques applied to antenna measurements to speed up the characterization and verification process.

This workshop profiles the implementation, configuration, and operation of a comprehensive stand-alone open-source 5G end-to-end testbed to enable 5G research, development, and prototyping. The testbed provides a 5G SA FR1 and FR3 platform based on the OAI software stack and the USRP radio, for use both over-the-air (OTA) and with coax cable, and includes the all the primary system components: the core network; the basestation (gNB); and three implementations of the handset (UE). We will discuss in detail the full procedure for building this testbed and highlight several practical use-cases and explore troubleshooting steps.

Connectivity systems evolve continuously to effectively and efficiently address new and emerging wireless applications. To timely support this evolution, semiconductors solutions need to ensure the level of RF performance required from early RF and microwave circuits and systems design and manufacturing stages.
During this industry workshop, designing and manufacturing of such RF solutions will be identified and analyzed. Guideline and tools to use such solutions to implement the RF Front End of the next generation of wireless systems will be provided. Practical challenges and topics discussed will range from wafers and engineered substrates to RF ICs and Front Ends.

This workshop explores the synergy between over-the-air (OTA) measurements and modelling/simulation for optimizing wideband mmWave radios. Practical examples will show how to enhance RF models for transceivers design and optimization, covering:
• Linearization of power amplifiers and beamforming transmitters
• Equalization and interference mitigation strategies for receivers
• Leveraging simulation to interpret OTA measurement results.
Attendees will learn to improve design, reduce re-spins, and understand root causes of performance issues. The demonstrations will use a highly integrated mmWave beam-former capable of circular polarization, including frequency converters, filters, and a SATCOM phased array in two remote compact antenna test range systems.

The rapid advancements in quantum computing demand specialized solutions to scale up and improve qubits. This workshop will explore Keysight's quantum solutions for hardware and EDA, addressing current limitations and paving the way for innovations. Keysight's Quantum Control System (QCS) and Quantum EDA tools provide integrated workflows for developing superconducting qubits and quantum amplifiers. Keysight offers a low-frequency noise characterization system and a novel test methodology for QKD designs. Participants will gain insights into the latest advancements, understand the unique challenges, and learn about practical applications and case studies. Join us to explore the future of quantum solutions with Keysight.

With the integration of Clarity 3D Solver and Microwave Office software, RF designers can access high-capacity and scalable EM analysis for design verification and signoff of large, complex RF mixed-signal systems beyond the capabilities offered by conventional full-wave solvers, thanks to the Clarity distributed multiprocessing technology. In this workshop, we demonstrate the efficacy of the Microwave Office and Clarity solver technologies for several complex antenna/RF problems including design verification, antenna arrays and in-design RF applications areas.

In this event, we will delve into innovative methods for characterizing both passive and active devices, showcasing novel methodologies and architectures for measurement applications in radar, satellite and mobile communication technologies. Our primary objective is to provide a comprehensive and precise understanding of the device under test, ensuring that the influence of the measurement system is kept to an absolute minimum.
By focusing on wideband modulated signals, participants will gain valuable insights into new approaches in characterization methods, equipping them with the knowledge to improve their own testing processes and results across various applications.

Although WinCal is well known and respected in the industry as a tool for performing RF calibrations, it has several other, perhaps underappreciated, features, which allow it to form a part of an analytics pipeline or as the basis for a low-cost and feature-rich test executive.
This workshop will demonstrate some of these lesser-known analysis features, and additionally how WinCal can be integrated with popular open-source software packages to significantly extend its functionality whilst leveraging its robust and powerful algorithms. The 5.1 release of WinCal introduces a number of new APIs to facilitate this, which will be discussed in detail.

This workshop focuses on the critical aspect of phased array calibration, addressing complexities in ensuring precise beamforming and steering. As phased arrays become ubiquitous in applications like SATCOM, innovative design techniques are emerging to simplify calibration. We will explore innovative calibration methods, novel design approaches minimizing calibration efforts, and pioneering "calibration-less" architectures. Leading expert(s) will share insights, challenges, and solutions, enhancing attendees' capabilities in designing, implementing, and maintaining high-performance phased array systems with reduced calibration burdens.

This workshop delves into the cutting-edge technologies shaping the future of 5G and beyond, with a focus on the practical implementation of FR2 OpenAirInterface (OAI) structures, ORAN functionalities, and advanced applications such as FlexRIC and MIMO. Featuring presentations from industry leaders like allbesmart, Emerson (Origin NI), TMYTEK, and academic insights from the University of Hawaii, the session offers a comprehensive exploration of the latest telecom innovations. Attendees will benefit from demonstrations and interactive discussions on future applications, gaining valuable insights into emerging trends and practical deployment strategies.

The advancement towards 6G necessitates many innovations to transform vision into reality. Concurrently, the complexity and number of parameters requiring characterization are increasing, posing challenges in meeting commercial timelines. This workshop will address several ongoing trends that are enhancing our front-end devices. The presentations will provide valuable and comprehensive information on trends and measurement techniques for RFICs.
The topics include linearization techniques, GaN power amplifiers, pulsed measurements and the workshop will conclude with an interactive session exploring the anticipated impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the characterization of these devices.

Satellite communication systems are rapidly moving towards higher frequencies and larger signal bandwidths for increased capacity. These trends impose tight requirements on transmitter linearity and power amplifiers efficiency. This workshop introduces an overview of state-of-the-art phased array architectures and how they can be combined with linearization schemes for enhanced efficiency. Advanced measurements and characterization techniques will be combined with behavioral models and prototypes for accelerating the design, optimization, and testing of linearization techniques and beamforming algorithms. We are using practical hardware to demonstrate how to tradeoff design parameters and improve ACLR, EVM, and other metrics for different standard waveforms.

The global proliferation of smartphones has been significantly facilitated by improvements in CMOS technology at reduced feature sizes, leading to substantial gains in computational power.
A crucial aspect of this development is the RF Front End Modules, along with the associated circuits and technologies. This workshop course will focus on the current designs of 5G RF front-end modules employed in RF cellular technologies, addressing the challenges linked to 5G implementation and its anticipated evolution towards 6G. Participants can expect an in-depth exploration of practical 5G RF deployment, the technologies involved, and the latest innovations in next-generation mobile applications.