By Telecom Lead Team:
Microelectronics companies such as Hittite, NXP, TriQuint are focusing on high
performance, high frequency applications in defense, test and measurement, very
small aperture terminal (VSAT) and microwave radios.
These microelectronics companies
have released products operating above 10 GHz.
While these products do not offer
the volume of some of the commercial market opportunities, high frequency
market applications provide an opportunity for device manufacturers to
differentiate their products based on superior performance.
In addition to military applications
which require high frequency, broadband performance, there is a growing number
of VSAT and microwave radio applications operating at higher frequencies.
Handset products dominate compound
semiconductor revenue, yet there is still a substantial amount of product
development aimed at high frequency market applications,” noted Eric Higham,
director of the Strategy Analytics GaAs and Compound Semiconductor Technologies
Service.
This viewpoint summarizes financial,
product, contract and employment developments from major compound semiconductor
device suppliers, addressing a variety of commercial and military applications
that use gallium arsenide (GaAs), gallium nitride (GaN), Silicon carbide (SiC),
silicon germanium (SiGe) and complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS)
technologies.
GaN microelectronic devices will reach
$180 million by 2015
While military applications and
funding continue to drive the GaN device market, commercial applications are
emerging. CATV applications are among the largest commercial deployments, but
satellite communications and high power electronics applications are ramping to
higher revenues.
Strategy Analytics forecasts that
the market for GaN microelectronic devices will grow with a CAAGR of nearly 29
percent to reach approximately $180 million by 2015.