IEEE International Microwave Symposium IMS 2026

Greg Lyons

General Co-Chair

Tim Hancock

General Co-Chair

Elsie Vega

Event/Conference Manager

Dave Weil

Exhibition Director, HEI

Tina Vickery

Exhibition Operations Manager, HEI

Penny McQuality

Event Space Contact

Email Call Website

Susie Horn

Visa Support, SMH Consulting LLC

What's on

Programme

Banquet

Bootcamp

TBA

Event days

17:00–18:00

Typical time

Official agenda

This agenda is still being finalised. Check the official agenda for the latest sessions.

Speakers

Greg Lyons

General Co-Chair @ MIT Lincoln Laboratory

Tim Hancock

General Co-Chair @ Raytheon

Steven Turner

TPC Coordinating Chair / RFTT Symposium Chair @ BAE Systems

Jackie Vitaz

Marketing and Publications (MP3) Chair @ Raytheon

Kevin Chuang

Finance Chair / Industry Workshops Chair @ ADI

Christal Gordon

Inclusion & Outreach Chair @ Booz Allen Hamilton

Brian Floyd

RFSA Symposium Chair @ North Carolina State University

Mohyee Mikhemar

RFIC Symposium Chair @ Broadcom

Andrej Rumiantsev

ARFTG Symposium Chair @ MPI Corporation

Nick Kolias

Plenary Session Co-Chair @ Raytheon

Dan Green

Plenary Session Co-Chair @ ADI

Holger Maune

Workshops Coordinating Chair @ TU Darmstadt

Jim Buckwalter

Panel Coordinating Chair @ UCSB

Bodhisatwa Sadhu

RFIC TPC Chair @ IBM T.J. Watson Research Center

Debopriyo Chowdhury

RFIC TPC Vice-Chair @ Broadcom Inc

Jane Gu

RFIC Student Chair @ Georgia Tech

Vito Giannini

RFIC Workshops Chair @ L&T Semiconductor Tech

Wanghua Wu

RFIC Workshops Vice-Chair @ Samsung

Christian Waldschmidt

RFSA TPC Chair @ University of Ulm

Jeffrey Nanzer

RFSA TPC Vice Chair @ Michigan State University

Time TBA

Quantum Bootcamp

Bootcamp

Time TBA

AI/ML Bootcamp

Bootcamp

Time TBA

RFIC Plenary Session

Plenary Session

Time TBA

RFIC Symposium Showcase and Reception

Reception and Showcase

Time TBA

RF Bootcamp

Bootcamp

Time TBA

Phased Array Bootcamp

Bootcamp

Time TBA

WPT Bootcamp

Bootcamp

Time TBA

Three Minute Thesis (3MT)

Competition

Time TBA

IMS Showcase featuring RFSA and RFTT Student and Industry Paper Finalists

Showcase

Time TBA

IMS Joint RFSA/RFTT Plenary Session and Fireside Chat

Plenary Session

Time TBA

IMS Welcome Reception

Reception

Time TBA

IMS Student Design Competitions

Competition

Time TBA

Panel Sessions

Panel

Time TBA

MicroApps and Industry Workshops

Time TBA

RF Systems Dialogue (RFSA)

Dialogue

Time TBA

RFSA and RFTT Interactive Forums

Interactive Forum

Time TBA

IMS Executive Forum

Forum

Time TBA

MTT-S Awards Banquet

Banquet

Time TBA

107th ARFTG Microwave Measurement Conference

Conference

17:00 – 18:00

Industry Hosted Reception

Reception

Topic tracks

Design & TechniquesModelling & SimulationSystems & ArchitectureAlgorithms, Signal Processing & AI/MLFabrication & MaterialsTest & MeasurementMicrowave Design for Superconducting Qubits and Quantum AmplifiersMaterials-to-Systems Roadmap for Programmable Apertures: Sub-6GHz to THzLow-Noise Receiver Systems for Space MissionsAll-Digital RF Transceivers

Co-located events

IEEE MTT-S RFIC Symposium 2026

Separate ticket

IEEE MTT-S RFSA Symposium 2026

Separate ticket

IEEE MTT-S RFTT Symposium 2026

Separate ticket

107th ARFTG Microwave Measurement Conference

Separate ticket

Hard Tech Summit

Separate ticket

Co-located seminars

RF Bootcamp

Paid

Phased Array Bootcamp

Paid

Quantum Bootcamp

Paid

AI/ML Bootcamp

Paid

WPT Bootcamp

Paid

RFIC Technical Lecture

Paid

Awards

IEEE MTT-S Awards Banquet

Annual

The 2026 IEEE MTT-S Awards Banquet will be held on Wednesday evening, 10 June 2026, during the heart of IMS Week. The MTT-S Awards Committee presents the MTT-S major awards and the best paper awards, and recognition is given to IEEE-level award recipients and MTT-S members newly elevated to the grade of IEEE Fellow.

Microwave Career AwardMicrowave Pioneer AwardIEEE Gustav Robert Kirchhoff AwardIEEE Electromagnetics AwardBest Paper AwardsIEEE Fellows Recognition

Student Design Competitions

Annual

The Student Design Competitions (SDC) take place on Tuesday, 9 June 2026 at the Thomas M. Menino Convention & Exhibition Center. Winning teams are awarded cash prizes, recognized at the IMS student luncheon awards, and a chance to publish their designs in the IEEE Microwave Magazine. Winners are recognized at the Student Awards Luncheon on Thursday, 11 June 2026.

High-Sensitivity Biomedical Radar for Multi-Person Vital Sign SensingTunable Impedance Matching NetworkRF Bias Tee Design for Active Baseband Load-Pull ApplicationsHigh-Efficiency Power Amplifier Design for 220 MHzDPD SDC

Three Minute Thesis (3MT)

Annual

The John Bandler Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition at IMS2026 includes an Audience Choice Award. Participants must submit through the regular electronic paper process for RFIC, RFSA, RFTT or ARFTG.

Audience Choice Award

IEEE MTT-S Best Paper Awards

Annual

Best paper awards presented at IMS2026 include the Microwave Magazine Best Paper Award (Dr. Fabian Thome, co-author) and the IEEE Transactions on Terahertz Science & Technology Best Paper Award (Dr. Axel Tessmann, co-author).

Microwave Magazine Best Paper AwardIEEE Transactions on Terahertz Science & Technology Best Paper AwardBest Student Paper Award (RFSA)Best Student Paper Award (RFTT)Best Industrial Paper Award (RFSA)

Government supporters

MassTech

Inclusion & Outreach Co-Chair (Kelly Johnson)

How the last edition performed

Previous edition

Current edition

2026 · 8,808 visitors · 500 exhibitors

IMS2026 concluded with 8,808 total attendees from 53 countries, a sold-out exhibition including 101 first-time exhibitors, 16 startups in the Startup Pavilion, 979 technical paper submissions and 200+ technical sessions, workshops and bootcamps. The event was held at the Thomas M. Menino Convention & Exhibition Center (MCEC) in Boston.

Forecast — not final

Visitors

8,000

Exhibitors

504

Visitor countries

Growth over time

Edition recap

IMS2025 Recap — San Francisco, 15–20 June 2025

The 2025 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium (IMS2025) concluded a landmark week at the Moscone Center in San Francisco under the theme 'The Wireless Golden Gateway.' The event drew 8,000+ registered attendees from 55 countries and 504 exhibiting companies, including 98 first-time exhibitors and 14 startups in the StartUp Pavilion. The exhibit floor was the largest since 2019, featuring industry leaders such as Analog Devices, Mi-Wave, Qorvo, Keysight, MACOM, Eravant, Marki Microwave, Rohde & Schwarz and Samtec. The technical programme included 200+ education sessions covering 6G infrastructure, AI-integrated RF systems, quantum-enabled technologies and secure communications. Steven Rosenau served as General Chair. and https://www.ept.ca/ims2025-accelerates-rf-microwave-innovation-showcases-breakthroughs/

New this edition

1
RF Systems & Applications (RFSA) Symposium
New for IMS2026, the RFSA Symposium is centred on system-level design, integrating components, subsystems and signal processing to enable communications, radar, sensing and applications such as 6G ISAC. It features technical sessions, an interactive forum, workshops, panels, plenary sessions and the RF Systems Dialogue.
Source
2
RF Technology & Techniques (RFTT) Symposium
New for IMS2026, the RFTT Symposium covers enabling technologies including devices, packaging, passive circuits, CAD, computational electromagnetics and quantum RF, bridging circuits and systems. RFTT 2026 placed special emphasis on RF quantum technology.
Source
3
Communications Pavilion
New for IMS2026, a dedicated pavilion on the exhibit floor focused on communications technology, designed to drive additional traffic to the exhibit floor.
Source
4
Radar Sensors Pavilion
New for IMS2026, a dedicated pavilion on the exhibit floor focused on radar and sensor technology.
Source
5
Microwave Boulevard
New for IMS2026, a dedicated space on the exhibit floor for networking, recharging and connecting.
Source
6
Phased Array Bootcamp
New for IMS2026, a half-day bootcamp covering phased array fundamentals and design.
Source

Testimonials

IMS2026's record turnout emphasizes the fact that this international event is where the RF & microwave industry gathers as a global community. This week gave everyone a single place to learn and network, coupled with a sold-out exhibition that showcased the latest products and services
Timothy Hancock · General Co-Chair · IMS2026 · 2026

I was and continue to be excited to see IMS shift its focus toward system-level innovation and real-world impact. I have attended IMS/RFIC regularly and see it as an important venue to follow industry and research trends, reconnect with the community, and learn about emerging technical directions
Wen Zhou · Senior RF System Architect, Advanced Circuits and Systems Lab · Samsung Semiconductor · 2026

IMS2025 in San Francisco demonstrated the amazing power of interdisciplinary collaboration to drive RF and Microwave advancements. We saw cutting-edge examples of innovative designs and technology-leading development that crossed traditional boundaries, enabling solutions to highly complex challenges in our complicated global economy
Steven Rosenau · General Chair · IMS2025 · 2025

This year is our biggest year here; we have the largest footprint ever. And it's a great opportunity for us to tell the full brand story of Eravant. IMS is the perfect opportunity to do that because you have customers and players from all across the ecosystem of RF
Wendy Shu · CEO · Eravant · 2025

Next edition outlook

2026

confirmed

IMS2027 will be held 23-28 May 2027 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas, under the theme 'Ride the Current.' The event marks the 75th anniversary of the IEEE Microwave Theory and Technology Society (MTT-S). The week starts with the IEEE MTT-S RFIC Symposium, followed by the RFSA and RFTT Symposia, and concludes with the ARFTG Microwave Measurement Conference. The technical program continues its strategic structural change with three focused symposia. IMS2027 will also co-locate with one of the IEEE Hard Tech Venture Summits.

Second year of the restructured technical program with RFIC, RFSA and RFTT symposia providing more focused technical content aligned with attendee interests RFSA returns for its second edition following its successful introduction at IMS2026, with Systems & Applications workshops, panel discussions, plenary sessions and the RF System Dialogue Expanded call for papers covering RF, microwave, millimeter-wave and terahertz technologies from MHz to THz, with a dedicated Industry and Startup track for RFIC 75th anniversary celebration of the IEEE MTT-S with special programming reflecting on the society's past, present and future Exhibition runs Tuesday 25 May to Thursday 27 May 2027, with hours of 09:30 to 17:00, 09:30 to 18:00 and 09:30 to 15:00 respectively Co-location with one of the IEEE Hard Tech Venture Summits continues, connecting early-stage hardware startup founders with resources and funding

Impact

A bigger and stronger platform

IMS2025, held 15-20 June 2025 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, was a landmark edition that showcased the RF and microwave industry's continued momentum. The event drew more than 8,000 registered attendees from 55 countries, featured 504 exhibiting companies including 98 first-time exhibitors, and hosted 14 startups in the StartUp Pavilion. The exhibition floor was the largest since 2019, spanning over 100,000 square feet with more than 550 companies presenting. The technical program delivered 200+ education sessions covering 6G infrastructure, AI-integrated RF systems, quantum-enabled technologies, and secure communications. The event was co-located with the IEEE RFIC Symposium and the ARFTG Conference, reinforcing IMS's position as the world's largest gathering for the RF and microwave community

Audience quality

High-value decision-makers

IMS2025 attracted an influential global audience from 55 countries, including experts from industry-leading companies such as Boeing, Meta, Amazon, BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman, Qualcomm, Samsung, and Google. The event drew thousands of engineers, researchers, and industry leaders, with the technical program covering cutting-edge topics such as wafer-scale RF silicon interposer packaging, mmWave phased arrays, chipletization, and GaN/Si for FR3 applications. Student Design Competitions and the Interactive Forum fostered the next generation of engineers, while the MicroApps Theater hosted continuous presentations on the latest advancements.

Exhibitor outcomes

Real business growth

IMS2025 provided exhibitors with access to a high-quality global audience of RF and microwave decision-makers. The exhibition floor was the largest since 2019, with 504 exhibiting companies including 98 first-time exhibitors, and 14 startups showcased in the StartUp Pavilion. Industry leaders such as Analog Devices, Mi-Wave, Qorvo, Keysight, MACOM, Eravant, Marki Microwave, Rohde & Schwarz, and Samtec presented advanced solutions addressing critical sectors including 6G infrastructure, AI-integrated RF systems, quantum-enabled technologies, and secure communications. The event's co-location with RFIC and ARFTG further concentrated the RF engineering community, providing exhibitors with a focused audience of technical buyers and decision-makers.

Intelligence

Market context

Key market insights, trends, news and related events to help you understand the bigger picture.

Global, with primary emphasis on North America (United States) and secondary reach across Europe and Asia-Pacific

Why it matters

IMS2026 matters because it is where the RF and microwave industry gathers as a global community to align on technical priorities, evaluate emerging technologies, and conduct business. With 8,808 attendees from 53 countries, a sold-out exhibition and 200+ technical sessions, IMS2026 demonstrated that the industry is undergoing a structural shift: from component-level optimisation to system-level thinking, from feasibility studies to deployment readiness, and from siloed engineering to interdisciplinary convergence across AI, quantum, 6G, mmWave/sub-THz, and aerospace/defense. For buyers and exhibitors, IMS is the single most concentrated gathering of RF decision-makers — the exhibition ranks #1 among the top reasons to attend, 82.4% of attendees rate setting up meetings with exhibitors as important or critical, and 45.9% purchase exhibit-only passes. The strategic restructuring into three coordinated symposia (RFIC, RFSA, RFTT) plus the ARFTG measurement conference maps directly to the RF development stack, helping exhibitors target the right audience and helping attendees navigate a program that now spans the full lifecycle from chip to system to validation.

Industry trends

Key trends shaping this market and its wider industry.

AI and machine learning become core RF engineering tools

One of the most noticeable themes across IMS2026 was the growing role of AI and ML in RF engineering, appearing throughout the program in topics ranging from simulation and optimization to measurement automation and phased-array development. Sessions explored AI-assisted RF design optimization, machine learning for antenna development, digital twin technologies, automated testing and calibration, radar-based sensing and classification, and generative AI for engineering workflows. AI is now positioned as a core engineering tool rather than a niche research area.

Shift from component-level to system-level thinking

A major theme throughout IMS2026 was the growing emphasis on complete system design rather than individual component performance. Sessions focused on hardware and software co-design, RF-to-bits architectures, digital beamforming, system-level simulation, multi-domain optimization, and integrated communications platforms. As RF engineering becomes increasingly interdisciplinary, success now requires understanding how complete systems behave, not just individual components.

mmWave and sub-THz move toward mainstream commercialization

The continued prominence of mmWave and sub-THz topics at IMS2026 suggests these high-frequency systems are steadily moving toward broader commercialization. Sessions addressed massive MIMO architecture, beamforming systems, advanced packaging techniques, thermal management, calibration challenges, over-the-air measurements, and high-frequency test methodologies. The industry's focus is shifting from feasibility to manufacturability, repeatability, efficiency, and deployment readiness.

6G and integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) take centre stage

A main point of discussion at IMS2026 was the continued development of 6G wireless networks and the technical requirements to transition from 5G to 6G. RFSA 2026 had a special emphasis on ISAC, a key part of 6G communications, with submissions related to ISAC growing 15x compared to previous years. The RF Systems Dialogue focused on ISAC, reflecting the technology's move from research toward actual system design.

Quantum RF emerges as a distinct engineering discipline

RFTT 2026 placed special emphasis on RF quantum technology, and the IMS Joint RFSA/RFTT Plenary Session featured Nobel Prize winner John Martinis in conversation with MIT's William Oliver. The RFIC Plenary Session featured speakers working at the intersection of semiconductor integration and quantum systems, addressing RF control system requirements for large-scale quantum computing architectures.

Aerospace, defense and satellite communications drive high-performance RF demand

Aerospace, defense and secure communications continue driving demand for high-performance RF technologies including satellite communications, radar, electronic warfare, and secure communications. At IMS2026, companies including MACOM showcased new suites of high-performance RF solutions designed for aerospace and defense applications. Thermal management, environmental durability, and mechanical stability are increasingly important as RF systems move into mission-critical applications.

Advanced packaging and thermal management become critical design priorities

IMS2026 highlighted advanced packaging convergence, with PCB substrate requirements merging with IC substrate specs for 5G front-end modules, along with increased emphasis on thermal management. GaN power amplifier thermal management is driving demand for metal-core and ceramic hybrid PCB solutions, and antenna-in-package technology is gaining traction.

Market news

Latest updates from across the market.

IMS2026 delivers strongest year in half a decade with record attendance and sold-out exhibition

The 2026 IEEE International MTT Symposia concluded a coordinated week of RF and microwave engineering in Boston with 8,808 total attendees from 53 countries, a sold-out exhibition including 101 first-time exhibitors, 16 startups in the Startup Pavilion, 979 technical paper submissions, and 200+ technical sessions, workshops and bootcamps. 'IMS2026's record turnout emphasizes the fact that this international event is where the RF & microwave industry gathers as a global community,' said Timothy Hancock, IMS2026 General Co-Chair

Yole Group report highlights RF industry shift beyond smartphones toward defense, automotive and 6G

Yole Group's Status of the RF Industry 2026 report highlights how the market is transitioning from its long-standing dependence on smartphones toward new growth drivers such as defense, automotive, and early 6G. The global RF device market is expected to remain nearly flat at $55.8 billion in 2026, before resuming growth and reaching approximately $72 billion by 2031. Defense and aerospace will grow to about $4 billion by 2031, driven by radar and electronic-warfare modernization, while automotive and mobility grows even faster to more than $5 billion, driven by radar, V2X, and ADAS adoption

MACOM debuts high-performance RF solutions for aerospace and defense at IMS2026

MACOM Technology Solutions announced a new suite of high-performance RF solutions designed to meet the demanding requirements of aerospace and defense, demonstrated at Booth 17035 during IMS2026. The solutions address satellite communications, radar, electronic warfare, and secure communications applications requiring consistent performance in demanding operating environments

Keysight demonstrates AI-driven RF design, quantum simulation and 6G technologies at IMS2026

Keysight showcased AI-enabled RF design workflows including AI-assisted matching network design, filter synthesis, and Python-driven automation, alongside sub-THz device characterization up to 250 GHz for precise AI hardware characterization. The company also demonstrated 6G beamforming innovation and quantum design acceleration tools, reflecting the increasing convergence of RF engineering and quantum computing applications

Qorvo showcases proven RF solutions at IMS2026 as Platinum Sponsor

Qorvo, a Platinum Sponsor of IMS2026, highlighted its portfolio of proven RF solutions for defense, aerospace, satellite communications, and 5G/6G infrastructure applications at the Boston exhibition. The company's demonstrations covered SATCOM beamforming, IoT long-range amplification, and 5G fixed wireless access (FWA), underscoring its continued investment in the RF/microwave ecosystem