Morpheus X2 is the latest design based on Filtronic’s E-band (71 – 76GHz and 81 – 86 GHz) transceiver platform, of which over 75,000 units have already been shipped and deployed in radio links worldwide.
Integrating all the RF transmit and receive functions required for an E-band radio link, the transceiver module offers a linear transmit power output of +23dBm – 3dB higher than the standard Morpheus II product – while occupying the same compact footprint of 90 x 80mm. Receiver noise figure is typically 7 – 8dB and an enhanced option with 4.5 – 5.5dB noise figure is also available for specialised applications.
This higher power level enables longer link lengths when the modules are used in all types of mmWave XHaul applications. The compact form factor of the modules and their reconfigurable architecture also provide a platform from which to develop ultra-high capacity payloads and ground systems for LEO satellite constellations and High Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS).
The Dell’Oro Group has forecast that E-band mmWave radio links will experience the fastest growth of all the frequency bands over the five-year period to 2026, with the combined E-band and V-Band market predicted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25%.
This growth is being driven by the global demand for XHaul for 5G networks, for which radio links in the mmWave bands can provide both high capacity and high data rate.
