KOSDAQ-listed company RNTO Technology announced on the 21st that it has completed the development of a low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) antenna to replace the broadband (UWB) antenna based on Teflon (PTFE) substrates, which provide the AirDrop function for Apple iPhones.
Recently, five European countries (Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden) banned the use of perfluorinated compounds (PFAS) containing fluorine due to environmental concerns. As global chemical companies such as 3M and Solvay ceased production of Teflon, a conventional high-frequency substrate material, RNTO Technology secured alternative technology by completing the development of an LTCC-based antenna.
LTCC exhibits low signal loss in mobile communication frequency bands and minimal characteristic variation due to temperature changes. Additionally, it has high mechanical strength and thermal conductivity, making it a core material for high-frequency communication circuit substrates and directional couplers. Due to these properties, LTCC is gaining attention as the only material to replace conventional Teflon substrates.
RNTO Technology has supplied directional couplers to global communication equipment companies such as Ericsson, Nokia, Huawei, Samsung Electronics, and ZTE. Although sales declined due to U.S. sanctions on Huawei, the company expects a performance turnaround starting this year as it expands beyond the existing base station equipment market into the automotive parts market.
In particular, as inertial navigation systems (INS) essential for autonomous driving are increasingly installed in the rapidly growing electric vehicle market, RNTO Technology has begun supplying directional couplers to an INS manufacturer holding a monopoly position in China.
Furthermore, as infotainment mobile communication modules are being installed in recently released internal combustion engine vehicles, the supply of related chip components is expanding. RNTO Technology has also obtained IATF16949 certification, a mandatory requirement for supplying core automotive parts.
An RNTO Technology representative stated, "We are expanding our business from the existing communication equipment market into the electric vehicle market. We will continue to strengthen collaboration with global companies and promote new businesses to improve performance and enhance competitiveness through sustained growth."
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