Research and Markets: New Wide Bandgap Materials are Opening up New Markets for RF Devices.

DUBLIN, Ireland -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c20412) has announced the addition of World Market for Wide Bandgap Materials and Devices for RF Applications to their offering.

Due to their high power density and high frequency capabilities, new wide-bandgap materials like GaN and SiC are opening new markets for RF devices. SiC MESFET or GaN HEMT are now able to challenge other technologies in the 1 to 100 GHz frequency band and 100 watts power, featuring PAE of more than 40%. Today, these components are already addressing 3 main markets:

--Wireless communications including 3G base stations for handset phones (BTS) and SatCom

--Defense (radar, jamming, guided missiles...)

--Space

In the future, GaN HEMT or SiC MESFET will target much larger volume markets like VSAT terminals or microwave ovens. The third generation of mobile phones (WCDMA: 3G) is now requiring high polarization voltage transistors in order to face BTS having a power in the range of 300W in the 1700 - 2200 MHz band. About 40 operators have announced plans to start 3G commercial operation by end of year 2003. The first prototypes will be installed within 2004.

It is forecast that the Power Amplifiers market will reach the range of $650 M$. SiC MESFET and GaN HEMT are competing on this market segment as a replacement technology. Companies like Cree or Rockwell announced first commercial offers in SiC MESFET from base band up to S-band. At the same time, Cree, Nitronex, Fujitsu, NEC or RFMD are showing impressive results on GaN FET structures.

Now, the challenge for these components is to achieve:

--Long life-time,

--High power efficiency (PAE),

--Good reliability,

--Price competitiveness,

--Flat frequency response on whole bandwidth.

Base station business:

According to power amplifier manufacturers, the microwave transistors market is a cost-driven market. They are expecting reliable components in the 1$/watt price. To break the silicon LDMOS monopole, SiC or GaN technologies have to propose new solutions.

Defense applications:

Defense is focusing on wide-bandgap RF transistors or MMIC to be implemented in:

--Active Electronically Steered Antenna (AESA): fighters, naval or ground-level radars

--ECM: Countermeasure systems

--Defense communication systems

--Guided missiles

Currently, GaAs transistors are mainly implemented in RF defense modules. Active antennas and guided missiles could represent a huge potential. For example, the yearly need will be more than 20,000 RF modules in each antenna and of hundreds of thousand of missiles.

Finally, this report will help you to understand the SiC/GaN battle in the microwave business and to forecast your potential business in terms of volumes and revenues.

Companies mentioned:

--II-VI

--Alcatel

--ATMI

--Azzuro

--Cree

--Hoya

--IntrinSiC

--Kyma

--Nitronex

--Fujitsu

--Hitachi

--Lumilog

--OMMIC

--NEC

--Picogiga

--QinetiQ

--Rockwell

--SET

--SiCrystal

--Sixon

--SVT

--TDI

--Thales

--UMS

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c20412