POSTECH: Leading the Next Generation of 5G and 6G
POSTECH signed a cooperative agreement with KREEMO and LPKF Laser & Electronics Korea (LPKF) on August 13 to establish a collaborative system for new materials and new manufacturing processes for 5G/6G antenna. The partnership will help to strengthen the mmWave Industry Alliance (MIA).
5G, which uses millimeter wave (mmWave), is a communication method for broadband transmission that not only provides fast wireless internet connection, but also used in industries such as self-driving cars, smart factories, and digital healthcare. In 2020, POSTECH formed the mmWave Industry Alliance (MIA), an open-consortium to build a 5G ecosystem and expand the 5G market.
MIA plans to develop a 5G mmWave Golden Reference Device which would verify the performance of 5G devices and assist companies developing 5G devices by providing a standard against which to optimize 5G performance and to ultimately expedite their product launch.
KREEMO, serving as the secretariat of MIA, is a 5G antenna venture company that developed the world’s first 360-degree 5G antenna with beamforming technology in collaboration with POSTECH. As the expansion of 5G hampered by limited performance and cost of key components like the antenna, this new technology allows to eliminate 5G shadowing areas and reduce facility investment costs.
In addition, if the new laser-based manufacturing process optimized for 5G antennas is implemented, it may be possible to produce more precise antennas in various forms than the conventional 5G antennas.
LPKF is a leading company in laser-based solutions for the technology industry. Its laser system is a key component in manufacturing printed circuit boards, microchips, automotive parts, solar modules and many others.
To this, POSTECH, KREEMO, and LPKF have come together to develop the core antenna technologies developed in Korea by using major 5G/6G antenna components by signing
a mid to long term industry-academia partnership in new materials and processes.
POSTECH professor Wonbin Hong who led the establishment of MIA remarked, “We expect MIA to be an important consortium that will strengthen the nation’s core technologies in 5G and lead the future 6G technology through maximizing the applications of high-frequency resources with much potential like the mmWave.”