Perspective on ceramic materials for 5G wireless communication systems

5G technology, both infrastructure and handsets, is being deployed throughout the world with television advertisements trumpeting faster download speeds, an end to dropped calls and buffering, high bandwidth communication systems enabling remote surgery, autonomous vehicles, and enhanced virtual reality experiences. In truth, the adoption of the 5G technology is in its infancy with numerous technical challenges ahead. In this perspective article, we will present an overview of the technology platforms that make up 5G and examine the role of ceramic oxide and nitride materials in enabling this technology. We will look at ceramic devices present in both handsets and the base station infrastructure in terms of its historical use in wireless telephony and its projected future use in 5G systems.