Two Awards for Fraunhofer IAF Researchers at IMS 2025

At this year’s International Microwave Symposium (IMS 2025) in San Francisco, two researchers from the Fraunhofer IAF were honored with prestigious awards for their outstanding work. Thomas Zieciak (right) received the Advanced Practice Paper Competition Award, while Dr. Bersant Gashi (left) was recognized with the IMS Early Career Paper Award. Both awards highlight the scientific excellence and innovative strength of Fraunhofer IAF’s research.

Thomas Zieciak – World’s First D-Band GaN T/R-MMIC

At the conference, Thomas Zieciak presented a groundbreaking transmit/receive circuit for the D-band, covering a frequency range between 131 and 144 GHz. In his paper titled “A D-Band Front-End T/R MMIC in a 70-nm GaN HEMT Technology,” he and his co-authors introduced a highly integrated monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) based on a 70-nm GaN-on-SiC technology.

This compact 3 mm² chip combines a power amplifier, a low-noise amplifier, and a switching matrix for switching between transmit and receive paths. Measurements demonstrated a saturated output power of 20 dBm, a peak power added efficiency (PAE) of 7.3 percent, and a minimum noise figure of 7 dB. It is the world’s first GaN-based T/R front-end MMIC operating in the D-band. With its compact design, high robustness, and excellent RF performance, the device represents a significant step forward in the development of future 6G systems.

The Advanced Practice Paper Competition Award recognizes outstanding technical contributions that address practical applications of innovative technologies and demonstrate substantial improvements over the current state of the art.

Dr. Bersant Gashi – Milestone in Chip Integration Using III-V Semiconductors

Dr. Bersant Gashi received the IMS Early Career Paper Award for his paper entitled “300 GHz 8×1 Active Phased Array MMIC with On-Chip Power Amplifiers, Vector Modulators, and Antennas.” In his contribution, he describes the development of a fully integrated, eight-channel active phased array MMIC for operation around 300 GHz.

The chip, based on 35-nm InGaAs mHEMT technology, integrates power amplifiers, vector modulators, and on-chip antennas within a 3.5 × 4.25 mm² footprint. Each of the eight channels delivers over 20 dB gain across the 260 to 320 GHz range, with peak output power of up to 6 dBm per channel.

Particularly noteworthy are the chip’s high level of integration and its electronic beam steering capability, achieved through a four-bit phase resolution that allows directional control in steps of approximately 22.5 degrees. This combination of integration density, bandwidth, and beam steering marks a world-first implementation for III-V semiconductor technologies.

The IMS Early Career Paper Award honors exceptional technical papers authored by researchers in the early stages of their careers. The evaluation is based on the quality, significance, impact, and originality of the work presented.

Fraunhofer IAF Contributions at IMS 2025

The 2025 edition of the International Microwave Symposium (IMS), organized by the IEEE Microwave Theory and Technology Society (MTT-S), took place from June 15 to 20 in San Francisco, California. As the world’s leading conference in the field of microwave and RF technology, IMS annually brings together thousands of experts from academia, industry, and development, serving as a showcase for technological breakthroughs in communication, radar, and sensing. Together with the IEEE Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits Symposium (RFIC) and the Automatic Radio Frequency Techniques Group (ARFTG) Conference—held in parallel—IMS offers a unique platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and collaboration.

This year, Fraunhofer IAF was represented with numerous contributions, including posters, papers, and talks. Thematically, the focus was on high-performance and energy-efficient devices, circuits, and modules for cutting-edge RF applications such as mobile and satellite communication, cryogenic measurement technologies, and industrial radar systems. The awards for Thomas Zieciak and Dr. Bersant Gashi underscore the technical excellence and international visibility of Fraunhofer IAF’s research. Both contributions represent key milestones on the path toward the communication systems of the next generation.