5G NR RF Component Requirements
5G NR sub-6 GHz (FR1) uses wide channel bandwidths (up to 100 MHz) and high-order modulation (256-QAM), placing strict requirements on filter insertion loss, passband flatness, and group delay ripple. RF View analyzes all these parameters from measured .s2p files.
5G NR n78 (3300–3800 MHz) Filter Specification
| Parameter | 5G NR n78 Spec |
|---|---|
| Passband | 3300–3800 MHz |
| Channel BW support | Up to 100 MHz |
| Max passband IL | <2.0 dB (BAW) / <3.0 dB (LC) |
| Group delay ripple (100 MHz BW) | <5 ns for 256-QAM |
| Stopband rejection at 3000 MHz | >30 dB |
| Port return loss (S11, S22) | >14 dB in passband |
5G Component Analysis Workflow in RF View
Step 1: n78 Filter Passband Analysis
- Load n78 filter .s2p → S21 BW Marker → reads 3 dB BW, center freq, IL
- Verify S21 flat within ±0.5 dB across 3300–3800 MHz
- Switch to Group Delay → check <5 ns ripple for 100 MHz-wide analysis
- S11, S22 → both <−14 dB across passband
Step 2: 5G LNA (3.5 GHz) S-Parameter Verification
Key LNA metrics at 3.5 GHz: S21: 16–18 dB (sub-6 GHz LNA, e.g., Qorvo TQL9092) S11: −12 to −8 dB (noise-matched) S22: <−10 dB S12: <−25 dB (reverse isolation) K-factor: K > 1 from 1 MHz to 10 GHz (check carefully at 3.5 GHz)
Step 3: System Link Budget Verification
In a 5G NR base station receive chain (n78):
ANT → Filter (IL=1.5 dB) → LNA (G=18 dB, NF=1.5 dB) → Mixer System NF = 1.5 + 1.5 = 3.0 dB (Friis, filter before LNA) At 100 MHz BW: Sensitivity = −174 + 3.0 + 80 = −91 dBm
RF View 5G Analysis: Load 5G n78 filter and LNA .s2p files, verify all specifications with markers and BW Marker, and compare multiple vendors on one chart. All free on Android.