5G Base Station PCB
The market for Base station PCB is expanding rapidly due to the growth of 5G networks. High-performance and high-frequency PCBs are essential for the success of these networks.
The circuit board substrates used in communication bases are dielectric composite materials. These consist of a resin matrix with a woven, nonwoven or fiberglass reinforcement and filler.
Antenna System
The antenna system is one of the most important components in a base station. It plays a vital role in the device’s performance and functionality, so it’s worth investing time and effort into its design. The earlier you consider the antenna in your design process, the better. The more you know about how it impacts your device’s architecture and physical parts, the easier it will be to select an appropriate antenna solution.
The new 4.9GHz 5G network is becoming available in some areas, and the single-user download rate can be as high as 2.8 Gbps. The speed of the network is fast enough to provide super-fast Internet for daily use, and it is expected to become a popular service for businesses. However, it will be necessary to build a network infrastructure that can manage such massive data rates and bandwidth demands.
As the 5G era begins, demand for communication multilayer circuit boards will increase significantly. The industry will benefit from the development of 5G networks and terminal equipment. The construction of 5G base stations will require large-scale data centers and servers, which will drive the demand for PCBs. The technology will also lead to the mass construction and upgrading of existing base stations, resulting in a huge demand for high-speed PCBs. This demand will also drive the market for advanced materials, including FR4. The global Communication Base Station Equipment PCB Market was valued at USD 2616.6 million in 2022 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 3780.5 million by 2029, with a CAGR of 5.4% during the review period.
Backplane
The backplane in a Base station PCB provides the physical and electrical interconnection for data transfer between modules. A basic backplane design consists of a parallel data-transfer topology in which different modules communicate with each other through a common bus. Often, each module is connected to a transceiver integrated circuit on the daughter card. The transceivers convert high-speed data from a backplane stripline to a lower-speed signal for transmission on the daughter card.
The daughter-card stub lines connecting the backplane and the daughter board must be properly terminated. The choice of termination depends on the total capacitance required for signal propagation at each stub length. For example, short stub lengths provide the best balance between stub propagation delay and driver rise time (slew rate). However, longer stub lengths require a higher termination resistance.
To reduce the amount of capacitance needed for transmission, some devices use perforations or holes in the cards to allow component leads to project through the interconnection layer. However, this system is not ideal for ensuring the integrity of the welds between card layers because differential thermal expansion can Base station PCB put pressure on the lead tips and the traces, resulting in mechanical damage.
To minimize the impact of this problem, the drive strength must be selected to match the fully loaded characteristic impedance of the backplane. Texas Instruments offers medium-drive GTLP devices with low-drive versions that allow the designer to match backplane loading without exceeding maximum recommended VOL levels.
BBU Boards
The demand for seamless connectivity drives the need for communication base station equipment PCBs. These products ensure the efficient transmission of signals and enable the transfer of large amounts of data. The growth of IoT devices and the emergence of edge computing further fuel market demand. In addition, the widespread adoption of 5G networks requires advanced communication base station equipment PCBs that support higher data transfer rates and new frequency bands.
A standard macro base station consists of a baseband unit (BBU), remote radio unit (RRU) and antennas. The BBU is located in an equipment room and connected to the RRU via optical fiber. The BBU is responsible for communicating with other base stations through a physical interface. It is small, low power-consuming and easy to deploy.
The BBU board is composed of an RF power amplifier, an RF transmission and control unit and an IF receiver. The RF power amplifier produces a high-frequency signal Base Station PCB Supplier and converts it into an electrical signal. The RF transmission and control unit transmits monitoring and alarm signals to the central management system. The IF receiver is responsible for receiving a radio wave signal from the base station and converting it into an electronic signal. The IF signal is then transmitted to the BBU. The BBU also includes a fan and power supply unit that monitors and reports the status of the system.
Power Boards
The power board contains circuitry for transmitting and receiving high-frequency signals. It also provides power to the base station components. It can be made from flexible, rigid, or hybrid material. It is typically coated with a protective layer to prevent damage during handling. It also has perforations or holes that allow component leads to project through to the next interconnection layer. This helps to reduce mechanical damage caused by differential thermal expansion between the components and PCB traces.
The printed circuit board (PCB) is a substrate on which electronic components are connected with solder. It is a key element of all modern electronic devices. The conductive copper surface of the PCB acts as a path for electrical signal transmission. The traces are formed on the top and bottom of the board. They are usually coated with a conductive ink or metal to make them more durable and reliable. Solder is the metal used to connect a conductive ink or copper to the copper traces.
Initially, PCBs were designed manually by drawing a schematic diagram on a clear mylar sheet at two or four times the actual size and then laying out component pin pads and routing traces. Rub-on dry transfers of common component footprints and pre-printed non-reproducing grids on the mylar helped to increase efficiency.
With the 5G construction accelerating, domestic high-end PCB production capacity replacement will speed up. This will improve the industry’s competitive threshold and promote further market growth for high-frequency PCBs.