LEDs ♦ news digest
Handset RF device market to hit $5 billion in 2016
The market size of handset gallium arsenide based RF devices is predicted to balloon from its current $3.8 billion
Unlike traditional silicon semiconductors, GaAs is mainly used in handset RF front end modules like power amplifiers (PAs). According to Research and Markets, the RF front end of 4G devices costs around $9-11, twice that of those in 3G systems and 6 times of that in 2G systems. The handset RF system mainly consists of a transceiver, PA, filter and antenna switch. The market size of handset RF devices hit about $3.8 billion and is expected to reach as much as $5 billion in 2016. Much of this is down to the 4G era, where the handset RF front end has had to become even more sophisticated. For example, the 4G iPad has as many as 19 RF front-end components. These include 7 PAs, 1 transceiver and 2 antenna switch modules (ASMs). Three of the PAs in the device are provided by Avago and correspond to three LTE frequency bands; two PAs are supplied by Skyworks and correspond to two 3G frequency bands. Another PA is offered by TriQuint, which contains three separate PA dies and corresponds to four 2G frequency bands. The final PA is in the ASM and is supplied by Japan-based Murata. The two ASMs are also made by Murata. The 4G iPad is integrated with 802.11/Bluetooth/FM and supported by Broadcom’s BCM4330, and its SIP IC contains GaAs pHEMT PA provided by Skyworks. According to Research and Markets’ “Global and China GaAs-based Device Industry Report, 2011-2012”, Murata is the largest MLCC manufacturer, the largest communication module (including Bluetooth module and WLAN module) producer, the second largest SAW filter manufacturer and the largest antenna switch producer in the world. On March 1st, 2012, Murata completed the acquisition of the PA Division of Renesas, empowering the company to possess one of the most complete product lines in the handset RF market. Kopin, VPEC and IQE are the world’s top three GaAs epilayer manufacturers, together accounting for over 60% market share. Kopin and VPEC adopt the MOCVD process and IQE applies MBE as well as MOCVD growth techniques.
Industry’s first fully- automated high-power wafer measurement tool
There is now a new fully-integrated solution for testing silicon, silicon carbide, gallium nitride and GaN-on-silicon power device wafers
Cascade Microtech, a manufacturer of precision measurements of integrated circuits at the wafer level, has unveiled the new APS200TESLA.
APS200TESLA Wafer Power Device Testing System
The turn-key system combines the capabilities of its Tesla on-wafer power device characterisation measurement technology with Cascade Microtech’s BlueRay production automation technology. Cascade boasts the system is industry’s first complete on-wafer production solution to address the test challenges of discrete power devices.
As power semiconductors grow with the demand for energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly products, power device manufacturing will shift from silicon substrates to SiC, GaN, and GaN-on silicon These new substrate technologies offer improved efficiency and enable higher levels of power, and faster switching, in many applications using insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) and MOSFETS, such as automotive and consumer electronics, electrical power distribution and large
July 2012
www.compoundsemiconductor.net 163
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