Altum RF Announces Collaboration with ITRI and TMYTEK
Two-year project results in technical advancements for satellite communications systems
Altum RF, a supplier of high-performance RF to millimeter-wave semiconductor solutions, announces a new grant and collaboration with Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), the largest applied technology research institution in Taiwan, and TMY Technology Inc, a leading mmWave solution provider targeting the 5G/B5G and SATCOM markets.
Altum RF, ITRI and TMYTEK will collaborate on an Antenna and Semiconductor Integrated Modules (AIMS) project for satellite communications systems. The grant comes from the Eureka Globalstars Taiwan framework. The project began in August 2022 and is slated to continue for two years.
The purpose of the AIMS project is to develop a millimeter-wave antenna-in-package (AiP) module for phased array Ka-band satellite communication systems. Developing this module will make satellite communication systems more energy-efficient, cost-effective and better suited for a technology that enables high-volume and low-cost manufacturing.
“We thank Eureka Globalstars Taiwan for this grant and look forward to collaborating with strong technical partners to develop new technologies that lower costs for satellite communications systems,” stated Greg Baker, Altum RF CEO. “Altum RF’s MMIC design team has unique GaN experience that will be key to making this technical advancement a reality.”
“Enabled by AI and IoT, the contest for pursuing the innovation for B5G, LEO satellite, receiving station, and mm-wave communication has been a worldwide trend. AiP has become a solution to accelerate the market growth for the satellite communication industry,” stated Shih-Chieh Chang, general director of Electronic and Optoelectronic System Research Laboratories at ITRI. “As an R&D institute with the capacity for fan-out wafer-level packaging and high-precision chip and device bonding technology, it’s our great pleasure to join the project and collaborate with Altum RF and TMYTEK to integrate a GaN semiconductor power amplifier, a silicon-based beamformer IC, and an antenna into a phased array module.”
Su-Wei Chang, founder and president of TMYTEK said: “This is an excellent collaboration between TMYTEK, Altum RF, and ITRI to redefine the electronically steered array solution. By integrating the GaN PA and packaging with wafer-level package technology, we aim to minimize the array's size, weight, and power. Together with our ecosystem partners, TMYTEK is accelerating the development of the satellite industry by offering a total ground terminal solution.”
