UltraBAW High-Frequency Filters

The ultraBAW is a new generation of microacoustic filter technology that expands Qualcomm's RF front-end (RFFE) portfolio and opens up 5G services and applications. Current microacoustic filter technologies, such as SAW, TC-SAW, previous BAW generations, and Qualcomm ultraSAW, are excellent for 5G (sub-3 GHz) and legacy 4G.

Adding complexity to the equation is the arrival of 5G NR frequencies such as n77 (3300 MHz to 4200 MHz) and n79 (4400 MHz to 5000 MHz), and the introduction of updated generations of Wi-Fi that stretch the range of filter coverage from 2.7 GHz up to 7.2 GHz. Filters and modules also have to deal with larger modulation bandwidths (300 MHz downlink, 100 MHz uplink) and co-exist with Wi-Fi bands near the 5G NR range.

Qualcomm ultraBAW filter technology was developed to deliver the high selectivity and lower insertion loss necessary to operate on this higher and crowded frequency range. It allows mobile devices to concurrently use newly available spectrum on the same device in a situation where Wi-Fi at 5 GHz needs to co-exist (operate simultaneously) with the cellular n79 band, keeping control of interference, power consumption, and thermal heat dissipation at high frequencies.