5G and automotive electronics power third-generation semiconductor materials market scale

Takuya Industrial Research Institute pointed out that compared with the current mainstream silicon wafers (Si), the third-generation semiconductor materials, SiC and GaN, have the advantages of high temperature resistance and high frequency operation. Not only can the chip area be greatly reduced, but also the design of peripheral circuits can be simplified, and the volume of modules and system peripheral components and cooling systems can be reduced. In addition to lightweight vehicle design, the low on-resistance and low switching loss characteristics of the third-generation semiconductors can also significantly reduce energy conversion losses during vehicle operation, both of which are of considerable help in improving the endurance of electric vehicles. Therefore, the technology and market development of SiC and GaN power components are inseparable from the development of electric vehicles.

However, SiC materials are still in the verification and introduction stage. At the current stage, the automotive field is only used for racing cars. Therefore, the area of SiC solutions for automotive power components at the current stage in the world is less than one thousandth. On the other hand, GaN power components currently on the market are manufactured using GaN-on-SiC and GaN-on-Si wafers. Among them, GaN-on-SiC has advantages in heat dissipation performance and is quite suitable for high-temperature, High-frequency operating environment, so the application visibility of 5G base stations is high. It is expected that SiC substrates will enter the high-speed growth period in the next five years, driven by car factory verification and 5G commercial use in 2020.

Although the cost of GaN substrates is still high during the process of increasing the area, the output value of GaN substrates is still smaller than that of SiC substrates. However, the advantages of GaN in high-frequency operation are still the focus of attention of major technology companies. In addition to the use of GaN-on-SiC technology for high-specification products, GaN-on-Si has become the mainstream of the current GaN power component market through its cost advantages. It is used in power management chips and charging systems for automotive and smartphones. Applications are growing.

Takuya Industrial Research Institute pointed out that observing the development of the supply chain, as 5G and automotive technology are at the center of the industry's growth trend, the supply chain has developed a wafer foundry model that provides customers with SiC and GaN foundry business services and changes the past. Only supplied by major integrated component manufacturers such as Cree, Infineon, Qorvo. For GaN, there are TSMC and the world's most advanced foundry services that provide GaN-on-Si, while Wenyi specializes in the GaN-on-SiC field and aims at 5G base station business opportunities. In addition, X-Fab, Han Lei and Universal also provide foundry services for SiC and GaN. Driven by the foundry business, the market size of third-generation semiconductor materials will also further expand.