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Energy-efficient piezo-MEMS tunable RF front-end antenna systems for mobile devices (EPAMO)
Start date: Apr 1, 2011, End date: Mar 1, 2014 PROJECT  FINISHED 

Future wireless communication systems need to cope with the increased number of frequency bands and advanced mobile phone standards supporting high data rates. At the same time mobile phone systems have to become more energy-efficient in order to contribute to the Grand Challenge “CO2-reduction”. The EPAMO project will address both aspects by exploring and implementing multiple innovative process and testing technologies to realise an adaptive antenna front-end system for 4G mobile phones. Due to closed-loop antenna tuning the radio power levels can be reduced in the mobile phone by more than 50%, in the base stations by at least 10%. It is estimated that the implementation of this technology has a global energy-saving potential of more than 10.000 GWh per year. EPAMO has the objective to explore the potential of unprecedented ultra-high density RF-MEMS switch arrays to be integrated in an energy-efficient agile RF transceiver with reconfigurable antenna. Key cross-cutting More-than-Moore and heterogeneous integration technologies are high-force piezoelectric MEMS actuators based on Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) thin films, high reliability metallic contact switches, and low-loss silicon and composite glass-silicon 8” wafer substrates. Fine pitch through-wafer vias will allow a high-density 3D system integration in ultra-small RF module substrates with integrated components.
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