Antennas

Development of Antenna Solutions

Antenna Solutions IMST develops customer-specific cutting-edge antenna solutions, from concept to product. Our portfolio covers numerous types of antennas ranging from compact highly integrated multi-band antennas for wireless and mobile communication, to active arrays with electronic beamforming. Typical areas of application included mobile communication, medical equipment, industrial sensors and testing equipment, satellite communication, driver assistance systems, and high-resolution radar. Our antenna designs span a frequency band starting in the lower MHz range, for example ISM applications, up to 300 GHz for contactless industrial measurement systems and future 6G devices.

Simulation Based Design

Our in-house full-wave EM simulator EMPIRE XPU is the key tool for simulation-based antenna design: based on the customer’s electrical, mechanical and manufacturing requirement profile, a detailed EMPIRE simulation model of the antenna in question is defined. In a first step the impedance and radiation properties are optimised. In a second step, the antenna is embedded in its installation environment, e.g. a radar antenna behind a car bumper, so that the antenna performance can be tuned under real world operating conditions. Hence, the time-to-market for the antenna is substantially reduced without any loss of performance.

Technology Diversity and Prototype Realisation

IMST has extensive experience with a wide variety of technologies and materials when it comes to the hardware implementation of antennas, such as multilayer PCB technology, RF substrates, LTCC (Low-Temperature Co-fired Ceramics), and additive processes such as PIM (Plastic Injection Moulding). At the same time, however, we are not limited by any specific assembly technique. This means that the customer’s specific technology requirements or preferences can be respected in the antenna design and later on implemented in the production process. Hence, by incorporating technology-dependent parameters extremely early on in the design process, a highly cost-effective product can be realised, to meet satisfying the customer’s expectations.

In cooperation with our manufacturing partners, our in-house technology section can realise first antenna prototypes swiftly and efficiently in order to verify the desired performance by means of measurements.

Ka-Band / 5G phased array frontend module

Chip Selection and Integration

IMST has an extensive and broad knowledge base at its disposal regarding the design of RF modules and components for active antennas. We also maintain excellent contacts with the international MMIC industry. Thus, IMST is able to provide excellent consultancy regarding the selection and identification of MMIC components. In this way, the optimal solution for each customer can be realised in terms of functionality, performance, costs, power consumption and space requirements.

The customer can have a new semiconductor component developed in cooperation with the inhouse chip design centre in the event that no COTS (Commercial-Off-The-Shelf) components are available to achieve the desired RF-performance.

Antenna anechoic chamber – Far-field Range (8m)

Metrological verification

IMST has extensive and powerful RF measurement capabilities at its disposal. This includes the conducted characterisation and the active and passive characterisation of the radiation properties. Two antenna measurement chambers for 3D far-field and near-field characterisation, which can be adapted very flexibly to the respective measurement requirements, are available both to the IMST development teams and to customers in the context of measurement services.

In cooperation with our EMC test centre, standard compliance acceptance measurements can also be performed once the development has been finished.

Manufacturing Ramp-Up and Production

IMST can support the customer during the critical phase of manufacturing ramp-up and initialisation of production: For example, small modifications can be made to the final antenna solution that could simplify production and thus optimise yield.

IMST's assembly and measurement facilities enable the assembly, initial operation, automated calibration and testing of electronic building blocks and active antenna systems. IMST can therefore always contribute to the production process as a supplier of components and subsystems.

IMST also has extensive experience in the development, construction and operation of electronic test equipment for production. This applies to conducted and radiated testing.

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