Researchers successfully develop domestic 6G antenna measurement system

In April 2019, South Korea became the pioneer in launching the world's first 5G mobile communication service. However, despite the commercialization of 5G in the 3.5 GHz band, the communication quality fell short of consumer expectations. Additionally, the slow installation of base stations in the 28 GHz band, which would offer true 5G service, was mainly due to profitability concerns.

As a solution, the government reclaimed the frequency bands from all three major telecommunications companies last year. This experience serves as a reflection on the limitations of 5G commercialization, highlighting the need to shift focus towards building robust 6G infrastructure as countries worldwide gear up for the upcoming 6G era, SSP reported.

The Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) has made significant progress in developing domestically produced equipment to evaluate the performance of 6G communication antennas. Their work has been published in the journal IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement.

The shift to higher frequency bands in 6G communication (planned for 7–24 GHz) allows for faster communication speeds but poses challenges in terms of communication range. To overcome this drawback, antenna-related technologies are crucial in addressing the reduced communication range issue.

Accurate performance evaluation plays a pivotal role in ensuring the proper functioning of advanced 6G antennas. Precise performance measurements help identify and rectify malfunction causes during the prototype stage, improve overall quality, and expedite the time to mass production.

The KRISS Electromagnetic Wave Metrology Group's research team has developed a non-metallic sensor-based 6G antenna measurement system utilizing an optical method. This system accurately measures the electromagnetic waves emitted by the antenna by placing the sensor at a certain distance. Previously, metallic sensors were employed for this purpose, resulting in distorted measurements due to coupling effects created by the reflective properties of metal. The team addressed this issue by replacing the metallic sensors with non-metallic sensors, about the size of a grain of rice.

By reducing the measurement distance between the sensor and the antenna from several meters to a few millimeters, the team managed to shorten the measurement time by more than 90%. Furthermore, the measurement equipment developed by KRISS is lightweight and portable, equivalent in size and weight to a computer tower. This portability makes it suitable for use in standard laboratories, overcoming the need for large fixed facilities like anechoic chambers, as required in previous measurements.

KRISS has successfully transferred this measurement technology to East Photonics Co., Ltd., a company specializing in fiber optic communication and repeaters, for a royalty of KRW 300 million. The signing ceremony took place on April 8 at the KRISS administrative building. Young-Pyo Hong, a principal researcher at KRISS, emphasized the importance of investing in the development of measurement equipment for 6G, considering the disappointing experiences encountered with 28 GHz 5G communication. The establishment of 6G infrastructure is now a priority, with measurement equipment development playing a crucial role.

Ho-Joon Seok, president and CEO of East Photonics Co., Ltd., expressed their commitment to collaborate closely with KRISS in the domestication of 6G antenna measurement equipment. Currently, all smartphone and base station antenna measurement equipment available in the market are expensive and imported. This joint effort aims to lead the domestic market by providing lightweight and mobile measurement equipment, ensuring a strong competitive advantage and supporting the steady progress towards commercialization.

By embracing 6G and its technological advancements, South Korea remains at the forefront of innovation in the telecommunications industry, ready to shape the future of mobile communication.