everything RF recently interviewed Rohan Houlden who is the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) at Gallium Semiconductor. He has over 30 years of industry experience having served in leadership positions across various semiconductor companies. During his tenure, he led product strategy and product development, and played a pivotal role in establishing Akoustis as a high-volume supplier of RF BAW filters for WiFi Access Points, 5G infrastructure, 5G mobile, and other applications. Prior to Akoustis, Mr. Houlden served as General Manager of the Connectivity Business Unit at Qorvo, Inc.
Q. Can you give us a brief history of Gallium Semiconductor? When was the company founded and what was the objective?
Rohan Houlden: Gallium Semiconductor was founded in 2021, in Singapore, by Gaas Labs with the objective of commercializing Gallium Nitride (GaN) based semiconductor solutions for 5G mobile communications and other multi-market applications. The company is leveraging the unique properties of GaN to develop innovative and high-performance semiconductor devices that meet the demands of the 5G market and beyond. With a team of experts in semiconductor research and development, Gallium Semiconductor is poised to drive innovation in this field and bring cutting-edge technology to market.
Q. Can you tell us about your team and their experience with GaN Semiconductor technology?
Rohan Houlden: Our team at Gallium Semiconductor is comprised of highly skilled professionals with extensive experience in RF power technology including LDMOS, GaAs and GaN semiconductor technology. Our leadership team has over 30 years of experience in product development and manufacturing, while our technical team in the Netherlands has over 15 years of experience in developing GaN RF power transistors and applications, with 85% holding MSc or PhD degrees. With our team's expertise and dedication to innovation, we are well-positioned to deliver cutting-edge solutions in the semiconductor industry.
Q. Can you tell us about your product portfolio? What types of products do you make?
Rohan Houlden: Gallium Semiconductor specializes in high-performance GaN-based RF semiconductor products, including bare-die, discrete, and internally matched transistors, as well as fully matched module amplifiers. Our solutions offer superior efficiency, power density, and bandwidth compared to traditional silicon-based products, making them an ideal choice for demanding applications in 5G telecommunications and other critical industries.
Q. What market segments do you cater to and which segment drives the most business for you?
Rohan Houlden: Gallium Semiconductor caters to a variety of market segments, including 5G telecommunications and multi-market applications such as Pulsed Radar, Broadband, ISM, Communications, and Satcom. While we do not disclose which segment drives the most business for us, we are committed to providing high-performance GaN-based RF semiconductor products that meet the needs of our diverse customer base.
Q. What made you decide to enter the GaN Semiconductor space? Are/Will all your products be based on GaN Technology? Are you looking to develop hybrid products?
Rohan Houlden: Our objective at Gallium Semiconductor is to facilitate widespread commercialization of GaN-based semiconductor solutions for a variety of applications, particularly 5G mobile communications. Although we also create GaAs-based products, we are steadfast in our commitment to the GaN technology because of its superior efficiency, power density, and bandwidth. We remain receptive to exploring other technologies that align with our customers' requirements. Furthermore, we have observed an escalating demand and support for high-performance RF products from Tier 2/3 customers and we aim to fulfil that.
Q. Can you tell us about your discrete asymmetrical Doherty device product line? How are they developed and what makes them a good fit for telecom applications?
Rohan Houlden: At Gallium Semiconductor, we offer a range of high-efficiency discrete asymmetrical Doherty devices designed specifically for telecom applications. Our experienced team has deep knowledge and expertise in this area and works closely with our fab partners to optimize the design for the GaN process. We have also made significant improvements to ensure that our devices are Doherty and DPD-friendly, which means that they can be easily integrated into existing systems with minimal disruption.
One key advantage of our asymmetrical Doherty devices is their high efficiency, which is critical in telecom applications where power consumption is a major concern. Our devices offer industry-leading power density and bandwidth, enabling them to meet the demands of next-generation wireless networks. In addition, we use state-of-the-art and cost-effective ACP packaging platforms to provide maximum performance and reliability.
Overall, our asymmetrical Doherty devices are an excellent choice for telecom applications where efficiency, performance, and reliability are essential.
Q. What differentiates Gallium Semiconductor from other GaN based semiconductor product manufacturers?
Rohan Houlden: Gallium Semiconductor is different from other GaN-based semiconductor manufacturers in several ways. Firstly, we have a highly skilled and experienced engineering team that is focused on enabling mass commercialization of GaN-based semiconductor solutions for 5G mobile communications and multi-market applications. Our team has deep knowledge and expertise in this area, and we are committed to providing our customers with the highest quality products and services.
Secondly, Gallium Semiconductor’s clear focus on GaN PA design sets us apart from other GaN-based semiconductor manufacturers. Unlike market leaders who struggle with legacy LDMOS, Gallium Semiconductor’s strategy is full steam ahead with GaN, leveraging the latest process and DPD with a highly skilled and experienced design and application team for innovation.
Additionally, we have a strategic value chain that is designed to optimize the development, manufacturing, and delivery of our products. This includes partnerships with leading foundries and suppliers, as well as state-of-the-art captive packaging line and testing facilities in SouthEast Asia. By controlling the entire value chain, we are able to ensure the highest levels of quality and performance and offer our customers a level of flexibility and customization that is unmatched by other manufacturers.
Finally, as a Singapore-based company, we can uniquely target our application engineering and customer service to Tier 2 and 3 customers that represent the long tail of high mix, low volume demand for GaN-based semiconductor products. By doing so, we aim to provide our customers with reliable and stable supply chain management that is essential in today's fast-paced global market.
In summary, Gallium Semiconductor is well-positioned to provide customized high-quality and high-performance GaN-based semiconductor solutions that cater to the unique requirements of our customers in multi-market applications and 5G mobile communications. Our emphasis on reliability, performance, and quality, coupled with our strategic value chain and quality support of Tier 2-3 customers, differentiates us from other players in this market space.
Q. Is Gallium Semiconductor a fabless semiconductor company? If so, which fab(s) do you use? Can you tell us about your testing process once the transistors have been fabricated?
Rohan Houlden: Yes, Gallium Semiconductor is a fabless company that utilizes a multiple-source strategy. We have our own captive line in the Philippines for assembly and test and we partner with leading foundries to ensure the highest quality and consistency of our products. Our products undergo rigorous testing processes, including 100% testing, to ensure they meet the highest quality standards.
Our testing process includes several stages, including wafer probing, packaging, and final testing. During wafer probing, we test individual chips to ensure that they meet specifications before they are packaged. After packaging, the devices are tested again to ensure that they meet performance and quality standards.
We also conduct environmental testing to simulate various conditions that our products may encounter during their lifespan. This includes testing for temperature extremes, humidity, and shock resistance.
Q. Who are your customers and where are they located? What is the % break up by region?
Rohan Houlden: Gallium Semiconductor serves a diverse customer base globally, with a significant proportion of our customers located in Asia and Europe. While we cannot provide an exact percentage breakdown by region, we can confirm that we have a broad customer base spanning multiple regions and industries, including telecommunications, radar, EW broadband and the Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) sector. We prioritize understanding and catering to the unique needs of each of our customers, regardless of their location or industry, to provide them with the most optimal solutions and services.
Gallium Semiconductor recognizes the importance of providing exceptional support to our customers, which is why we have established product development and application labs in key locations worldwide including Nijmegen, Singapore, and Shanghai.
Q. What are all the available sales channel from where customers can order Gallium semiconductor products? Do you customers interact with you directly or do you have distributors?
Rohan Houlden: Gallium Semiconductor works with a network of local distributors and representatives in each region, with Richardson Electronics as our global distribution partner. Additionally, our products will soon be available through DigiKey. Customers can interact with Gallium Semiconductor directly or through our distributors.
Q. What is your three-year product roadmap?
Rohan Houlden: Gallium Semiconductor has an exciting three-year product roadmap that is focused on delivering innovative GaAs and GaN-based semiconductor solutions for telecoms and multi-market applications. Our roadmap includes a wide range of products that cover the frequency spectrum from DC to 12 GHz, allowing us to meet the evolving needs of our customers and stay ahead of the competition. The roadmap is designed to optimize cost savings for both front-end and back-end processes, while enhancing product performance and improving customer support through turnkey solutions.
We are constantly innovating and improving our products, leveraging the latest technologies and processes to ensure the highest levels of performance, efficiency, and reliability. Our product roadmap is guided by customer needs, industry trends, and emerging technologies, ensuring that we stay at the forefront of this rapidly evolving space.
Overall, we are committed to delivering cutting-edge GaAs and GaN-based semiconductor solutions that are tailored to the needs of our customers in telecoms and multi-market applications. With our deep expertise, strategic value chain, and commitment to innovation, we are confident that we will continue to be a leading supplier of high-quality semiconductor solutions for years to come.
About Gallium Semiconductor
Gallium Semiconductor designs and manufactures Gallium Nitride (GaN) based RF semiconductor products to cost-effectively deliver the highest performance and efficiency for 5G communication networks as well as aerospace and defense and industrial, scientific, and medical applications.
Click here to vist Gallium Semiconductor's Profile on everything RF.
