Design and Production Challenges of Wire-Wrapped Ferrite RF Passives for Broadband Applications

摘要

The latest cable and sub-6 GHz 5G wireless networks present design and manufacturing challenges not only for the active semiconductors but also for widely used wire-wrapped ferrite RF components, such as transformers, splitters, couplers and baluns. As frequency and bandwidth requirements extend from hundreds of MHz to multiple GHz, the performance of these passive components must improve. Innovative designs, materials and manufacturing methods shrink their sizes while reaching higher operating frequencies and achieving broader bandwidths, by reducing parasitics that degrade performance and pose quality control challenges.