Spending on RF high-power semiconductors for the wireless infrastructure markets continues to flatten out this year, despite the fact that the overall market hit well over $1.4 billion in 2016. While certain market and sub-market segments are showing moderate growth, Gallium Nitride (GaN) is capturing meaningful market share of RF high-power semiconductors, especially in wireless infrastructure. The technology will drive Gallium Nitride's share of RF Power semiconductor revenues to more than double between 2016 and 2022.
According to a research report from ABI Research, GaN will continue to increase its market share in 2017, and will be the major technology force in wireless infrastructure RF high-power semiconductors by 2022. This now mainstream technology bridges the gap between two older technologies, exhibiting the high-frequency performance of Gallium Arsenide and power handling capabilities of Silicon LDMOS.
Outside of wireless infrastructure industry in the RF high-power semiconductor business, defense-oriented and commercial avionics/air traffic control market segments show the strongest performance. Despite the ongoing poor press for defense-oriented electronic hardware, the actual performance in 2016 was better than originally thought for some sub-segments. In total, the defense-oriented and commercial ATC segments will be a significant long-term market and one to keep an eye on moving forward.
These findings can be seen in ABI Research's RF Power Semiconductors report.
