The fifth-generation telecommunication technology, 5G, is more than a faster mobile experience to stream movies. It enables a universal connection between devices from automotive to remote robots. With the profitable business models and killer applications starting to emerge, 5G is one of the fastest growth markets, which will be over $720bn in 2030 and contribute to a $2trn annual connectivity boost to global GDP.
The most revolutionary aspect of 5G network relies on the high-
frequency 5G technologies, i.e. mmWave 5G, which utilize spectrum from 26
GHz up to 40 GHz. The high-frequency signals result in significant transmission loss, require higher power and more efficient power supply and generate more heat. The transmission loss is a pain point for the antennas design and radio frequency (RF) integrated circuits (ICs) for 5G applications. For low-frequency 5G, i.e. sub-6 GHz 5G, due to the high data transfer speed, reducing transmission loss is also desirable.
IDTechEx have published a report,
“Low-loss Materials for 5G 2021-2031”, focusing on the increasing demand for low-loss materials for both sub-6GHz 5G and mmWave 5G. With the future rise of mmWave 5G, low-loss materials will foresee a rapid growth and play an increasingly important role. In this
report, IDTechEx highlight the materials and technology challenges for mmWave 5G, survey the landscape of the low-loss materials, benchmark their performance and forecast the technology trends.
Figure 1: Overview of challenges, trends and innovations for mmWave 5G. Source: IDTechEx
IDTechEx highlight the promising low-loss materials for 5G devices. This includes low-loss thermoset materials, Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Liquid crystal polymers (LCP), Low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC), hydrocarbon, poly (p-phenylene ether) (PPE, or PPO), glass and more.
A ten-year forecast focusing on the low-loss materials area for 5G relevant devices is developed. The total market for low-loss materials will be over 110 million USD by 2031, with an average annual growth rate of 28% from 2026 to 2031 (figure 2). The market will be driven by the deployment of mmWave 5G infrastructure and fast expanding CPE market (figure 3).
Figure 2: Ten-year forecast of Low-loss materials in 5G by revenue. Source: IDTechEx
The report
“Low-loss Materials for 5G 2021-2031” contains a comprehensive analysis of different low-loss materials, from different perspectives such as performance, technology trends, potentials, and bottle neck for large scale deployment. Importantly, the report presents an unbiased analysis of primary data gathered via primary interviews with players across the supply chain, and it builds on IDTechEx’s large database of 5G infrastructure and user equipment.
Figure 3: Ten-year forecast of low-loss materials by frequency, market segments and materials types. Source: IDTechEx
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