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10 Among the many goals of signal chain design, some of the most important include continuous coverage with minimal interference while maximizing available bandwidth. These goals become even more critical for 5G, which promises to accommodate significantly more connected devices, provide always-on connectivity, and deliver unprecedented data speeds. This has required a new standalone network core —governed by the 5G New Radio Core standard—that's flexible, programmable, and distributed so that it can support performance requirements. Given the same aggregate power as 4G, the signal attenuates much more quickly, thus it can travel shorter distances—anywhere from 10 meters up to a few kilometers. The network uses two separate frequency bands: the first (FR1) repurposes long-term evolution (LTE) bands using sub-6GHz frequencies to transmit longer-range RF signals, and the second (FR2) uses higher frequencies like mmWave between 24.25GHz–52.6GHz to transmit short-range and high-speed signals. Signal chain design in the FR2 band is challenging because the effects of noise are much greater and require more engineering to mitigate. Preventing distortion on the transmission side, removing noise on the receiver side, ensuring flat phase and gain across the bandwidth, preventing crosstalk between circuits, and preventing interference between transceiver and receiver channels are common ways to improve signal quality. This is easier said than done, however, when working with 5G's higher frequency ranges, mmWaves, shared spectrum spaces, and more complex power and heat dissipation challenges. Signal Chain Design Poses Difficult Challenges Chapter Two Signal Chain Design Poses Difficult Challenges " Gaining RF product certification can be challenging. Designers need specific tools that can measure and verify board functionality and then go to specialized laboratories for certification. Everything is much easier if manufacturer-certified modules are used." Ivan Fumagalli RAMS Engineer, Eldor Corporation

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