everything RF recently interviewed Dr. Ali Fard, CEO and CTO of QuantalRF. Since joining in 2020, he has led QuantalRF’s global strategy and engineering efforts. He previously held executive roles at several technology startups, including serving as CTO of EMTensor. Ali holds Ph.D. and M.Sc. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Malardalen University in Sweden and is an inventor on over 60 patents.
Q. Could you give us a brief introduction to QuantalRF? When was the company founded, and what was the inspiration behind starting it?
Dr. Ali Fard: QuantalRF is reinventing the RF front end (RFFE) to power a new era of intelligent, hyper-connected systems. Rooted in deep semiconductor innovation, we have developed a new class of intelligent and adaptive RFFE architectures that radically improve power efficiency, linearity, cost, and integration—by rethinking analog and RF design from the ground up.
The company was originally founded in 2008 as DockOn®, with a focus on antenna innovation. In 2018, we rebranded as QuantalRF to reflect our broader mission around CMOS-SOI front-end development. Today, we operate as a privately held, engineering-led fabless semiconductor manufacturer with over 200 global patents. We are headquartered in Switzerland, with operations in the United States and Sweden.
Q. QuantalRF has pioneered a unique approach to RF front-end design. Can you walk us through your core technology and explain how it differs from traditional RF architectures, particularly in terms of performance?
Dr. Ali Fard: We’ve developed the industry’s first truly monolithic CMOS-SOI front-end platform. By integrating all key RF functions—PAs, LNAs, filtering, switching, and matching—onto a single SOI die, we’ve eliminated the need for compound semiconductors and discrete analog chains. The result is cleaner signal paths, fewer components, and a faster path to high-volume scalability.
But SOI integration is only part of the story. At the core of our architecture is an adaptive multi-loop feedback system that continuously self-optimizes in real time. Unlike digital correction techniques, it responds to RF conditions instantly, fully autonomously—with zero DSP interventions, any software dependency or latency.
We’ve also built a closed-loop design system powered by real-world data. We apply ML across billions of measured settings to refine IP and guide next-gen designs—replacing costly simulation cycles and accelerating execution.
That combination—monolithic CMOS-SOI, real-time analog adaptability, and data-driven design—is what enables our RFFE platform to outperform legacy GaAs and digitally corrected solutions, especially in wideband, high-efficiency applications like Wi-Fi 7.
CMOS-SOI: A Smarter, Monolithic RF Architecture
Q. How does CMOS SOI technology compare to more traditional technologies like GaAs and conventional CMOS when it comes to front-end IC performance and cost?
Dr. Ali Fard: CMOS-SOI offers the best of both worlds: the integration and scalability of standard CMOS with the RF performance characteristics typically associated with GaAs. It enables low noise, strong isolation, and significantly better power efficiency—using a unique architecture— without relying on digital correction schemes like digital predistortion (DPD).
Unlike GaAs, which depends on multiple chips and external filtering, our approach consolidates the entire front-end signal chain onto a single CMOS-SOI die. That simplification not only reduces system complexity and BOM but also leverages mature silicon supply chains—delivering a step-function gain in both cost and integration.
Q. Can you tell us more about your Wi-Fi 7 & 8 front-end ICs? How do they stack up against offerings from other RF chip manufacturers?
Dr. Ali Fard: Let’s start with the core challenge: Wi-Fi performance has scaled dramatically, but front-end power efficiency hasn’t kept pace. While data rates have jumped 10×, most front-end modules (FEMs) have improved efficiency by less than 30% in over a decade. In a tri-band home gateway, front ends can account for over half the total power draw—up to 28 watts. We’re essentially in a growing Wi-Fi power crisis.
Our FEMs are designed to break that ceiling. Built on a monolithic CMOS SOI architecture, they deliver superior linear output power and twice the efficiency of GaAs- or SiGe-based alternatives—without needing DPD or external correction. We support real-time distortion cancellation at up to 320 MHz channel bandwidths, with consistent DEVM below –45 dB (DEVM floor better than -48 dB) across temperature and packet conditions. Even under harsh mismatch conditions, such as 3:1 voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR), our FEMs maintain stable, reliable performance. It’s a fundamentally more intelligent and adaptive platform.
Q. Can you tell us more about your DockOn® antenna products? What makes them unique, and what are their typical applications?
Dr. Ali Fard: DockOn® antennas leverage our patented Compound Planar Loop (CPL) technology to deliver high-efficiency, small-form-factor solutions that can be printed directly onto standard PCBs. They provide excellent omnidirectional coverage, superior antenna-to-antenna isolation, above 80% efficiency, and extended range in a compact, low-cost format—ideal for Wi-Fi access points, wearables, smart home devices, and ultra-low power IoT nodes. The design simplifies integration and reduces system-level losses, making it a strong fit for high-volume platforms seeking both performance and manufacturability. These antennas are available through licensing for scalable deployment across consumer and industrial segments.
DockOn® antennas
Q. What is CPL antenna technology? Could you elaborate on this patented innovation and its advantages?
Dr. Ali Fard: Yes, CPL technology is an antenna architecture that combines transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) modes to boost radiation efficiency and isolation in dense wireless environments. This hybrid-mode design enables CPL antennas to achieve up to 30 dB isolation in challenging bands like UNII-3 to UNII-5—outperforming traditional designs by 5–10 dB. This high isolation reduces reliance on expensive BAW filters, streamlines front-end design, and improves system-level coexistence. The antennas can be implemented as PCB trace elements for minimal insertion loss or as discrete modules where mechanical flexibility is required.
Examples of RF designs incorporating QuantalRF’s CPL antennas
Q. Could you tell us more about your custom RFIC design services? What types of products do you typically design, and are they based on your proprietary technologies or more standard architectures?
Dr. Ali Fard: We design custom CMOS FEMs developed in close collaboration with strategic partners. These ICs are built for differentiation—leveraging our unique analog architecture to deliver high performance tailored to specific application requirements. Our design cycles are intentionally short, enabling faster time to market without compromising quality or precision. The solutions are optimized for cost-efficiency and are scalable to high-volume production. We also offer flexibility in how they are delivered—whether as bare dies for embedded FEMs (eFEM), fully packaged components, or integrated into broader chip designs as monolithic iFEMs. Each engagement is rooted in real engineering collaboration and designed to meet stringent technical and commercial demands.
Q. Where are you currently in terms of product development? Have you begun volume production, and if so, when? If not, what’s the timeline? Also, who are some of your target or existing customers?
Dr. Ali Fard: We are actively sampling our Wi-Fi 7 CMOS FEMs to Tier-1 mobile system-on-chip vendors. This chip is silicon-proven and integrated in Wi-Fi 7 reference platforms. Volume production is expected to begin in Q1 2026.
We’re seeing strong engagement across high-performance Wi-Fi, XR, notebooks, and ultra-low power IoT, with multiple Tier 1s in late-stage evaluation. Our CPL antenna IP is also licensed into next-gen access platforms, with a commercial rollout underway.
Q. Can you tell us about your product roadmap for the next three years? What can we expect to see from QuantalRF moving forward?
Dr. Ali Fard: Our roadmap is anchored around scaling our CMOS-SOI platform with linear FEMs for Wi-Fi 6E, 7 and emerging 8 for both Wi-Fi mobile and AP applications. From there, we’re expanding into adjacent wireless domains, where our high-linearity, low-power platform delivers meaningful system-level advantages. We’re also engaged with partners in satellite ground terminals, smart utility metering, and aerospace programs. These represent second-wave growth opportunities, expected to scale as AI-native infrastructure demands increase.
Over the next three years, we’ll continue advancing our adaptive analog architecture, CPL antenna IP, and deeper platform integration. Expect new form factors optimized for mobile, XR, automotive, and ultra-low power IoT—enabling wireless systems that scale intelligently—with lower power, higher spectral efficiency, and real-world adaptability.
About Quantal RF
QuantalRF is redefining the analog and RF front-end landscape to power the next generation of intelligent, hyper-connected systems. Built on groundbreaking semiconductor innovation, QuantalRF has created a new class of RF front-end solutions that dramatically enhance power efficiency, linearity, integration, and cost-effectiveness. Its intelligent, adaptive RF architecture that is fully realized in CMOS-SOI integrates all key RF functions, including power amplifiers, low-noise amplifiers, tunable filters, switching, and matching, on a single monolithic die. When paired with the company’s proprietary DockOn® CPL antenna technology, this platform delivers compact, energy-efficient, high-performance wireless systems that eliminate the need for digital correction.
With more than 200 global patents and a growing network of partners across smartphones, access points, IoT, and satellite communications, QuantalRF is rapidly scaling toward commercial deployment. Headquartered in Zürich with operations in the U.S. and Sweden, the company’s mission is to lead the industry in RF front-end platforms for Wi-Fi, satellite, and IoT applications, enabling a more sustainable and scalable wireless future driven by superior energy and spectrum efficiency.
