QTM052 mmWave antenna modules

Qualcomm® QTM052 mmWave antenna modules are the world’s first-announced, fully-integrated mmWave RF solution for smartphones and other mobile devices that are engineered to open up spectrum and improve mmWave signal using 5G technologies. QTM052 modules contain a 5G NR radio transceiver, power management integrated circuit (IC), RF front-end components, and a phased antenna array, as well as support for the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ X50 5G modem.

The mmWave challenge

mmWave opens up more spectrum, but using it for wireless communications presents a host of challenges, including:

  • Propagation: high mmWave frequencies experience higher path loss and attenuation, so signals don’t travel very far
  • Range: mmWave signals are easily blocked by objects, including a user’s hands, bodies, walls, foliage, and other solid objects
  • Size: mmWave typically requires an array of antenna elements to help overcome some of those issues, thereby increasing the footprint inside a device

The mmWave solution

The QTM052 solution, paired with the Snapdragon X50 5G modem, addresses the propagation, range and size challenges associated with mmWave—ultimately making mobile mmWave viable and ready for commercialization on a large scale. The QTM052 features:

  • Beam forming, beam steering, and beam tracking for bi-directional mobile mmWave communication to drastically improve the range and coverage of mmWave signals
  • Small footprint-phased antenna array design, minimizing the space required to support mmWave inside 5G devices
  • The ability to overcome blockage by switching to other beams made available through four differently located mmWave modules, thanks to the small form factor of the QTM052 and interface support from the Snapdragon X50 modem

QTM052 Features

Smartphone form factor

Contains a compact and integrated 5G NR radio transceiver, power management IC, RF front-end components, and a phased antenna array.

New supported bands

Provides support for up to 800 MHz of bandwidth in the 26.5-29.5 GHz, 27.5-28.35 GHz, and 37-40 GHz mmWave spectrum bands.

Mobility advanced features

Designed to support up to 2x2 MIMO with dual-layer polarization in both the downlink and the uplink, the QTM052 also supports beam forming, beam steering, and beam tracking for bi-directional mobile mmWave communication.