industry GaN power electronics
predominantly focus on discrete power devices and modules (these firms are shown by red circles); a subsequent group of eight vendors, mostly offering RF power GaN devices (blue circles are used to define this group); and a group of eight vendors, most of which are silicon IC vendors (identified by green circles).
Most of the vendors in our list of developers and producers of GaN-on-silicon devices are addressing emerging high-voltage, power-conversion applications by leveraging their existing expertise and capabilities in GaN-based technologies (see over for specific details of all 23 firms). Nine vendors, including Transphorm, Fujitsu, HRL, Panasonic, RFMD, Toshiba, NXP, Freescale and Renesas, have a background in RF power GaN technology. Another, Sanken, can leverage its expertise in LED manufacturing, while MicroGaN and Powdec can build on their strengths in sensor/actuator technology and epiwafer manufacturing, respectively.
One other common background for our 23 companies is that of silicon MOSFET vendors. IRF, Infineon, STM, TI, ON Semiconductor and Alpha & Omega all fall into this category. They have approaches to GaN technology development that include internal R&D, acquisitions, and partnerships. Meanwhile, start-ups EPC and GaN Systems, plus Furukawa (R&D), are focusing exclusively on GaN-on-silicon power technology, and two vendors - Power Integrations and Intersil – are concentrating on ICs.
It’s interesting to note that there is only one company in our list of 23, Sanken, that is looking to
leverage its LED manufacturing technology. Its efforts are limited to manufacturing equipment, rather than know-how, and its development of GaN- on-silicon HEMT technology for power conversion spans more than a decade. The plans and progress of Sanken reveal that the publicized near-term threat of LED vendors entering the power electronics market is both unrealistic and unfounded. Why? Because LED manufacturing has minimal correlation with the technological know-how required to manufacture high-voltage, GaN-on-silicon power HEMTs. Gaining that expertise requires a decade of R&D effort. It is possible, however, that LED vendors could gain access to such expertise via either acquisitions, partnerships or joint ventures.
The companies that are developing GaN-on-silicon technology have three big challenges ahead of them: containing the current collapse phenomenon; developing the technologies for manufacturing E-mode HEMTs; and validating device reliability. On top of this, GaN HEMT production costs must fall to drive deeper penetration into the power electronic market, a step that will require manufacture on 200 mm silicon. In our view, to address these issues while reducing the time it takes to generate revenue and profits, vendors will start to partner with each other more strongly than before, while some firms will be acquired by others.
© 2013 Angel Business Communications. Permission required.
Any questions relating to this article can be directed to the author:
ZelDiel@venture-Q.com
Table
1.Vendor commercialisation status for GaN-on- silicon HEMT technology,as of December 2012
March 2013
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