Emerging trends in advanced rf/microwave filters for wireless applications, part i [from the guest editor's desk]

The articles in this special section focus on emerging trends in advanced radio frequency/microwave filters for wireless applications. Currently, there is a progressive trend toward the development of highly flexible and miniaturized RF front ends that support emerging multipurpose/multistandard wireless communications systems, i.e., for satellite or mobile communications (e.g., 5G) and multifunction radar applications. Consequently, significant research is geared toward the design of advanced enhanced-performance RF components as the enabling hardware for next-generation high-frequency systems. Such research includes microwave filters and multiplexers as major components because they are essential RF blocks to perform the signal-band selection processes needed by wireless systems to efficiently reject out-of-band power-/frequency-agile interference and noise.