Low Power Beamformer ICs for Phased Arrays | Oso Semi

Published on February 20, 2026

Introduction : Electronically Steered Antennas (ESAs), commonly known as phased arrays, are rapidly becoming the preferred technology for satellite communications and 5G ground stations. Unlike traditional mechanical dishes, phased arrays use high speed Beamformer ICs to steer signals electronically which offer superior agility for tracking Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites.

However, the widespread adoption of phased arrays has been hindered by two factors i.e high power consumption and hardware cost. Conventional beamforming architectures require a power amplifier for every single antenna element, leading to massive heat generation that necessitates heavy, expensive cooling systems.

Oso Semiconductor’s beamformer ICs

To solve these thermal and cost barriers, Oso Semiconductor has introduced a reimagined microarchitecture for beamformer ICs. Moving away from the “amplifier per channel” model, Oso Semi utilizes a sub array level amplification approach. In this design, a single high performance amplifier serves a four element subarray which combines signals for the receiver (Rx) and splitting them for the transmitter (Tx).

Key features/Specs

• Offers drastic power reduction. In receive chain, consumes under 12 mW per channel and in transmit chain, consumes under 80 mW per channel.
• The architecture reduces the required silicon area by nearly 50 %. This significantly lowers the per unit IC cost for antenna manufacturers.
• Offers improvement in signal integrity by boosting receiver linearity by up to 10 dB and enhances transmit noise figure by up to 6 dB.
• It delivers output 1 dB of about 12 dBm while maintaining NF (Noise Figure) within 20 % of current state of the art designs.

Reference: Visit oso semiconductor website for more information.

Comparative Guide : Other Beamforming ICs for phased arrays

While Oso Semiconductor is pioneering sub array level efficiency for Ku band and Ka Band, several other manufacturers provide high performance beamformer solutions as mentioned in the following table.

Conclusion

As the industry moves toward 6G and ubiquitous satellite connectivity, the focus is shifting from raw power to power efficient solutions. By cutting power and heat in half, these components are paving the way for the next generation of flat panel, high speed satellite terminals.