World's smallest UWB antenna shrunk further
11 August 2004
News
TRDA, the US-based R&D arm of Taiyo Yuden, announced two significant ultra-wideband-related achievements that it says will enable OEMs to accelerate the integration of UWB technologies into a variety of consumer applications.
First, Taiyo Yuden has developed what it claims is the world's smallest ceramic chip antenna for UWB applications, measuring just 8 x 6 x 1 mm - 40% smaller than the device the company previously introduced at 10 x 8 x 1 mm. The company's second major UWB-related achievement has been the development of a new 1210 case size (3,2 x 2,5 x 0,85 mm) broadband balun rated at 3,1-8 GHz. The new device is not only 43% smaller than before (previously 6 x 2 x 1 mm), but provides a 32% bandwidth improvement over the 3,1-5 GHz chip the company announced last year as the world's first.
TRDA presented the technical aspects of both components in a symposium at 'Wireless Connectivity World' in Amsterdam in June.
Unlike narrow band applications, Taiyo Yuden says an optimised antenna solution for UWB did not exist prior to its early involvement in the process of developing UWB passive components. The solution to a long-standing industry challenge - the development of an optimised antenna with stable broadband requirements, combined with low cost and small package size - was first announced in 2003 by Taiyo Yuden. The company's materials science leadership and multilayer manufacturing techniques culminated in the world's first UWB chip antenna, a device measuring 10 x 8 x 1 mm. Taiyo Yuden presented its antenna scheme for UWB systems at the IEEE802.15.3a Task Group meeting held in March 2003 in Dallas.
The company predicts that the newly developed RF devices will become the de facto industry standard. Taiyo Yuden said it will continue its own development efforts in parallel to semiconductor development progress, with high volume production projected to begin in early 2005.
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