Technology breakthroughs in GaN enabling large growth in Semiconductor devices market in Defence and Aerospace

GaN is a semiconductor material that can amplify high power radio frequency signals efficiently at microwave frequencies  to enhance  a system’s range. Therefore it has become the technology of choice for high-RF power applications that require the transmission of signals over long distances such as EW, radar, base stations and satellite communications. The advantages of GaN-based devices stems largely from the attractive intrinsic physical properties of the material. The material exhibits wide bandgap, high breakdown voltage, extremely high power density and high gain at microwave frequencies. The raw materials for GaN are available in large quantities. Nitrogen can be taken from the air, and gallium is a waste product in metal working.

Compared to Silicon (Si) and Gallium Arsenide (GaAs), gallium nitride is a robust technology and possesses better performance characteristics. GaN semiconductor devices offer high breakdown voltages, saturation velocity, high electron mobility and high thermal conductivity among others. This has enabled the implementation of GaN on a wide basis high frequency RF devices and LEDs. These factors in combination are expected to positively impact the growth of the GaN semiconductor devices globally.

These properties, make GaN devices well suited for high power, high frequency and wide bandwidth applications in extreme environments. GaN transistors can operate at higher temperatures, and higher current densities than their SiC counterparts. The switching speed of a GaN power transistor may reach an unbelievable 100V/ns.

GaN based components are commonly used in blue and white LEDs. In power electronics applications, GaN diodes and transistors, in particular, have received interest, for example in frequency converters or electric cars. It is believed that in radio applications, 5G network base stations will use GaN based power amplifiers in the future. In electronics applications, a GaN transistor offers low resistance and enables high frequencies and power densities. However, the exploitation of higher frequencies necessitates the development of high-speed information communication technologies that use high-frequency-operation transistors such as high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs).

The GaN semiconductors devices market is primarily being driven by factors such as advancement in technology coupled with the expansion in the application areas for GaN based devices. There has been a rapid advancement in the GaN technology as a result of which various companies are coming up with new innovative products that are cost-effective and have better design and performance. Moreover, in order to address the growing demand for high power and high temperature applications there has been an increase in the usage of GaN semiconductor devices, according to report by ReportLinker.

In recent years, GaN HEMTs have been widely used as high-frequency power amplifiers in long-distance radio wave applications, such as radars and wireless communications. It is also expected that they will be used for weather radars to accurately observe localized torrential rainfall, as well as in millimeter-waveband wireless communications for fifth-generation mobile communications (5G). The outreach of microwaves from the microwave and millimeter-wave bands used for radar and wireless communications can be extended by increasing the output power of the high-frequency GaN HEMT power amplifiers used for transmitter. This allows for expanded radar observation range as well as longer distance and higher capacity communications.