editorialview by Dr Richard Stevenson, Editor Eyeing up the threats
BURYING YOUR HEAD IN THE SAND is rarely a good option. You might get away with it, but more often failure to act will backfire, with issues being harder to address as time goes on.
Applying this reasoning, I’ve commissioned a couple of features for this issue on silicon-based technologies for the front-end of mobiles. Power amplifiers deployed in front-ends have traditionally been built from GaAs, and while this material will definitely dominate for the next few years, it appears that the threat from silicon is now greater than ever, with this alternative technology tipped to take increasing market share.
One can argue, quite rightfully, that GaAs amps are better – there is no doubt that they have a far superior linearity. But a technology known as envelope tracking can address shortcomings in the linearity of silicon, arguably leaving little to choose between the two (see Nujira’s feature on p.40 for details). Another attraction of turning to silicon, put forward by Peregine Semiconductor in Building better RF front-ends with UltraCMOS (see p.46), is that it could lead to a one-chip solution.
By helping to highlight these advances, I hope that everyone with a role to play within the GaAs industry can be aware of these threats and consider how to react.
One may also wonder if there are those within the silicon Editor Richard Stevenson
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industry that are failing to look over their shoulders, while arguing that silicon transistors will maintain the march of Moore’s Law. IBM is not convinced, and has recently launched a $3 billion programme for new technologies. This firm is developing transistors with a III-V channel, as are several other groups that reported their advances at the recent VLSI Symposium (see p.50 for a report on this aspect of the conference).
What is clear is that as the boundaries blur between what silicon and the compound are good for, it’s not a good time for anyone to stick their head in the sand – so instead, keep tabs on what is going on around you, and be ready to respond.
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Copyright Compound Semiconductor Issue VI 2014
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