Last Updated on May 29, 2023 by Kevin Chen
Image source Freepik
There is no denying the fact that 5G is outpacing 4G in terms of adoption with speed and reliability being its main selling points.
There are many benefits that 5G technology stands to offer, especially in this digital era.
We are also likely to see new technologies, applications and products being developed as a result of the adoption of 5G.
One of key accelerators of the 5G technology is the semiconductor. Together with the key components of the chips, they play a key role in running of the 5G infrastructures.
It is important to note that semiconductor parts played and still play key roles in the running of 4G technology. We should expect the same in the 5G technology.
In this guide, we are going to discuss in details the functions of chip parts in the 5G technology.
Overview of the 5G technology
The 5G technology was invented to answer the need for more data in this digital age. While the earlier generations were quite good at handling data, there is always a need to make things better and this is where the relevance of the fifth generation came in.
Before the 5G, all mobile data communication were supported by the sub 3 GHz bands.
However, the volume of data to be handled has been on an upward trajectory over the years. It was necessary for the key players in the industry to start looking beyond the 3GHz bands
5G technology has proven to be the right answer.
This technology runs at a frequency of between 1mm to 10mm. This means that it has better speeds and more capacity than the 4G technology.
It is also worth mentioning the reliability of the 5G technology. This feature alone makes it ideal for all applications, including the sensitive ones such as IoT.
For any technology to be fully functional and relevant, it should have a proper support system. This is where the relevance of the semiconductor components comes in.
Semiconductor companies have been under pressure to come up with chips that will always support the power of 5G technology.
The chips should have high processing power, high data handling capacity and also be reliable.
For these companies to get all these results, they have to embed the right semiconductor parts.
Each part should be carefully analyzed and scrutinized to determine whether it has what it takes to support the 5G technology.
Main functions of semiconductor components in 5G
Now let’s look at the main functions of semiconductor components in the 5G technology.
Provide the radio frequency
Data transmission in the 5G technology is done through the radio waves. The Radio Frequency (RF) modules on the semiconductor makes this possible. Various components of the semiconductor such as diodes, switches and amplifiers are responsible for the generation, filtering and transmission of the radio waves.
While the previous technologies such as 3G and 4G also had the same modules, the modules for the 5G have high-end specifications that facilitate fast and efficient data transfer through networks.
Energy management in the 5G network
“5G network will consume high energy.” Does that statement sound familiar?
Most people assume that the high performance features of the 5G network will translate to the high energy consumption of the devices.
This is not true. Thanks to the energy management function of the semiconductor components.
Energy-efficient electronic components are used on these chips to achieve the goal of proper energy management.
Such combination ensures that at the end of the day the devices in the 5G network use minimal energy hence low running cost.
Implement security of the 5G network
This is another critical function of the semiconductor components in the 5G technology.
The fact that the technology offers premium performance means that data security should be given top priority.
There are specialized semiconductor chips tasked with securing and protecting the network.
These chips have hardware components that are programmed for high-levels of data security.
They are embedded with features such as authentication, encryption, threat detection among other resources that are designed to guarantee the integrity of data and the network as a whole.
Technically, the components take care of the hardware security of the device.
To support AI in 5G technology
By now it is clear that 5G technology is providing a perfect platform for the artificial intelligence and machine learning. This is mainly due to the data-handling capability of the 5G network.
Where does the relevance of the AI components come in?
This is where the relevance of the Application specific integrated circuits come in (ASICs). These are semiconductor chips that are specially designed for the AI functions.
The chips have components that support AI algorithms and machine leaning. Additionally these chips can be trained using large datasets to achieve specific goals.
Components support data handling and processing
Data is a key tenet of the 5Gtechnology. In fact, it is among the top reasons why the world is migrating from 4G to 5G.
Semiconductor chips have the full capability to handle the flow and storage of data in networks.
There are specialized chips designed for fast data handling and processing.
There are various chip components that perform the roles of data handling and processing. Such chips are found in most 5G devices including smartphones and IoT devices.
Just list any feature of a 5G technology and you will know that there are some key semiconductor elements and components behind it.
5G technology needs an embedded ecosystem
Image source Freepik
For the semiconductor companies to develop the right chips suitable for the 5G technology, they will have to work work with the developers of applications that will run on this technology.
The success of such projects will be based on a well-connected ecosystem whereby there is a seamless flow of ideas from one end to another.
The partnerships will also include the semiconductor components suppliers as they are critical in determining the performance of the chips.
The need for collaboration also stems from the fact that 5G technology has a diverse range of applications. It will be important for chip manufacturers to focus on developing chips for specific application areas. This can only be possible if they work with manufacturers in that industry. These applications include smartphone, IoT, Big data,AI, biomedical engineering among others.
The manufacturers and suppliers of semiconductor parts are also included in this ecosystem. This is because they deliver the components which will eventually be used in making the chips.
Once all the heads come together, we will eventually get perfect products.
Smartphones and 5G technology
When we talk of 5G technology, the most common devices that come into people’s minds are the smartphones. They are the driving force for any technology that entails networking and data.
According to a report by Gartner,it is projected that up to 71% of smartphones will have the 5G capability by 2024.
By the look of things, everything is happening according to the projections.
Key features of the 5G technology are already embedded in the latest models of smartphones. For example, the radio frequency of the latest smartphone models is expected to be twice that of the previous models.
As the smartphone manufacturers are improving their game, semiconductor chip manufacturers stand to be the biggest beneficiaries. The same applies to the manufacturers of the semiconductor components.
It was already predicted that 5G will increase the revenue of the semiconductor industry to over $315 billion by the year 2023.
The smartphone is not the only industry is not the only industry that stands to get the benefits of 5G-enabled semiconductors. Other industries such as IoT and automotive are already utilizing the features and components of this technology.
Talk of the smart homes, smart cities and autonomous vehicles, all of which are able to run efficiently and effectively through seamless connections.
On the other hand semiconductor chip manufacturers were under immense pressure to develop chips that will be suitable for all these application areas. The chips had to be complex and feature performance-oriented components.
Conclusion
It is clear that semiconductor parts promise to be the real gems in the adoption of the 5G technology.
They will be used in every active component of this technology.
Compared to the 4G network, more devices will be involved in the running of the 5G technology. And it is not just about the devices but also the speed and capabilities of the devices involved.
This directly implies that more semiconductor components will be involved.
On the other hand, semiconductor parts companies also have a potential derive plenty of benefits from the 5G technology.
Most of these companies will take advantage of the new opportunities that this technology has to offer by designing and manufacturing high-end components.
From look of things, the future of 5G is bright. This is visible given the efforts that chip manufacturers and fabricators are putting towards the development of the perfect semiconductors for this technology. A streamlined supply chain for the semiconductor components is likely to have a positive impact on the future on 5G-oriented chips.
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