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Designs/Products

Scalable high-frequency solutions for demanding applications

The combination of SiGe-BiCMOS design, antenna integration and industrial miniaturisation makes us one of the leading suppliers of high-frequency sensors up to the terahertz range. Our developments are tried and tested and at an industrially mature level.

Mobiles Radarsystem mit Laptop zur Drohnenerkennung auf einem Flugfeld im Einsatz, Drohnen fliegen im Hintergrund.

© Fraunhofer FHR / Uwe Bellhäuser

Im Vordergrund steht eine wissenschaftliche Messkamera mit Objektiv auf einem Stativ. Im Hintergrund ist eine Person mit FFP2-Maske unscharf zu erkennen, offenbar Teil eines Experiments oder einer Messung.

© Fraunhofer IMS

One technology, many fields of application

Our solutions open up versatile, high-performance fields of application – especially where high resolution, compactness and robustness are required:

  • Autonomous traffic, autonomous logistics: High angular resolution, small antenna size, weather-independent detection - even in rain/fog/night. Ideal for 360° environment detection.
  • In-line production, quality control and material characterisation: Non-contact, through dust, plastic or housing, maintenance-free and robust against interference - perfect for harsh industrial environments.
  • Security and surveillance technology: Through-wall detection (partial), high resolution with compact design, low susceptibility to interference - more reliable than conventional optical systems.
  • Medical applications: Hygienic, inconspicuous, contactless - ideal for sensitive or hard-to-reach patient groups.
  • Precise position and distance determination without GPS
  • Agriculture and environmental monitoring: Vegetation monitoring, soil structure and moisture analysis.
Kompakte Radarsensor-Einheit neben einer 2-Euro-Münze zum Größenvergleich, entwickelt von Fraunhofer FHR.

© Fraunhofer FHR

Our Terahertz systems offer

  • Miniaturisation: Compact, highly integrated assemblies.
  • Performance: Integrated amplifiers, oscillators, mixers for low-noise and efficient systems.
  • Cost efficiency with volumes: Especially with SiGe or GaAs-based processes.

Your benefits at a glance

  • Customised development & integration - from chip design to modular system structure.
  • Near-series modules with industry-standard interface technology and AI-based signal processing for real-time imaging and communication.
  • Ideal for R&D, pilot projects and industrial pre-series solutions.
  • Broad frequency spectrum: 80 to over 240 GHz for communication applications; other electromagnetic systems up to 480 GHz and photonic technologies.
Laborant:in im Reinraumanzug untersucht Halbleiterwafer unter einem Mikroskop.

© Fraunhofer IMS

Millimeter-wave transceiver for high-precision applications

Our modular FMCW transceiver systems offer scalable radio frequency solutions for demanding industrial, security and imaging applications in the millimeter wave range. Depending on the frequency band, our systems enable excellent resolution, high bandwidth and easy integration into existing platforms.

80 GHz transceiver - industrial precision, compactly integrated

Technology: SiGe-based FMCW radar platforms with up to 25 GHz bandwidth

Applications: Safety zone monitoring, distance measurement, automation

Your benefits:
  • Cost-optimised production with RF modules on standard PCBs
  • Robust performance for continuous industrial use
  • Compact, easy to integrate design

94GHz MMIC

Technology: Compact SiGe-MMICS with 26 GHz bandwidth

Specifications: 

  • Bistatic radar chip
  • 1 Tx and 2 Rx Channels
  • Up to 20 dBm output power

240 GHz transceiver - High-resolution imaging in the submillimeteR range

Technology: SiGe MMICs with integrated on-chip antennas and dielectric lenses at over 60 GHz bandwidth for ultra-fine depth and structure resolution

Applications: THz imaging, material analysis, quality control, non-destructive testing

Specifications:

  • Phase noise < –65 dBc/Hz (@ >1 kHz Offset)
  • EIRP up to –1 dBm (Patch-antennas)
  • Special feature: Integrated algorithsm for rejection of sub-harmonic interfering signals at 120 GHz

D-band transceiver - ultra-wideband sensor technology for the finest measurement resolutions

Technology: SiGe-BiCMOS monostatic transceiver (fₜ/fₘₐₓ = 250/370 GHz) at 70 GHz bandwidth with SIW (Substrate Integrated Waveguide) coupling

Applications: Precision radar, gesture recognition, distance measurement with extremely high depth resolution

Performance data:

  • –10 dBm output power (WR-6.5)
  • Measurement resolution: up to 4.6 mm at 0.6 m target distance
Blockdiagramm eines mmWave-Transceivers mit MMIC, Verstärkern, Mischern, Frequenzvervielfacher, passiven Antennenstrukturen sowie Transponder-PCB mit TX- und RX-Pfaden.
Layout eines integrierten Hochfrequenz-Transceivers mit markierten Funktionsblöcken wie Signalgenerator, Sende- und Empfangspfad, LNA, Mixer und Verstärker, typischerweise für Radar- oder mmWave-Kommunikationssysteme.

Harmonic tags

Technology: SiGe tags with Gilbert-cell frequency doublers, differentially fed antennas at 60/120 and 120/240 GHz as well as innovative self-test options and on-chip antennas

Applications: Positioning in the sub-centimeter range, navigation without GPS coverage