Resonant Inc. announced expanded performance for its XBAR® high-frequency resonator for RF filters that can manage the co-existence of 5G and Wi-Fi 6 and 6E networks, protecting each from co-interference and the resulting degradation in network performance.

Resonant’s ground-breaking XBAR technology enables unparalleled wide operating bandwidth at high frequency. Resonant has demonstrated measured results of the latest XBAR-based filters that operate in frequency bands supporting either 5G or Wi-Fi up to 7,000 MHz (802.11 ax) with bandwidths over 1,000 MHz (18 percent relative bandwidth). These filters also achieve low-loss (<1.5 dB) across the band and excellent rejection to adjacent interfering frequencies (>50 dB).

Resonator structures support acoustic resonance at defined frequencies and are the foundational building blocks underlying all acoustic-wave RF filters. This expanded XBAR resonator structure was enabled by Resonant’s high-precision, multi-physics Infinite Synthesized Networks (ISN®) RF filter design platform. The company has also introduced its HiPower SAW innovation using ISN.

XBAR based filters’ rejection of interfering frequencies is important because of emerging 5G and Wi-Fi infrastructure use cases. The roll-out of the 5G n79 band as well as Wi-Fi 6E creates significant interferance and co-existence issues which require the high-performance filtering enabled by acoustic-wave filters.

As data consumption grows, the industry is adopting higher speed wireless networks. According to the latest Cisco Internet Report, the number of Wi-Fi 6 hotspots will grow 13 fold globally by 2023 to 628 million. In addition, average mobile speeds will more than triple from 2018. This will drive a new range of wireless infrastructure including base stations, access points and others that will support both 5G and Wi-Fi. In these applications, the filter must mitigate the interference between each signal to prevent signal bleed, to allow operation across the full band. 

In Resonant’s measurements, filters based on this new resonator technology display wide bandwidth of up to the 1,100 MHz needed for high-frequency Wi-Fi devices, and demonstrated power handling meeting the requirements of both Wi-Fi and 5G.

“Resonant is continuing its identification of innovative ways to solve wide bandwidth, high frequency filter problems driven by the insatiable appetite for wireless data. With XBAR technologies, developed with ISN, the company is winning acclaim for laying the foundation for RF filters that reach performance levels needed for the next generation of filters for 5G and Wi-Fi while also benefiting from using the most cost effective manufacturing processes,” said George B. Holmes, chairman and CEO of Resonant.