The GaN Moment: Why Now is the Time to Bet on Gallium Nitride

The semiconductor industry is at a pivotal juncture. The device requirements of critical, large markets like AI and electric vehicles require higher efficiency, better performance, and improved thermal management, something that requires a shift in materials technology. Gallium Nitride (GaN) is emerging as the best material that can concurrently achieve these challenging requirements. With silicon rapidly approaching its physical limitations in these applications, GaN is set to power the future of high-performance electronics. The momentum for GaN has been building, and the market requirements that require GaN’s superior capability will drive rapid growth in the GaN market.

Having spent over two decades working in advanced epitaxial growth which is at the intersection of device capability and materials engineering, I’ve seen firsthand the evolution of this technology watching GaN go from a specialized, niche material to an emerging centerpiece of the semiconductor industry’s future. The table has been set for GaN to accelerate into the semiconductor mainstream.

Why GaN is Winning Today

Although GaN is still not a household word, it is already having a real-world impact in the consumer space where it is the critical material in high-speed/high-power USB-C chargers. These devices require GaN to be efficient (e.g., stay cool to the touch) with a reasonable footprint.  Building on this, GaN power devices are being designed for higher-performance, higher-power applications like AI and EVs. GaN’s superior performance to silicon in switching speed, on-resistance, breakdown voltage, and thermal performance make it the material of choice for higher voltage applications (~ 200-1000 V), particularly when efficiency is a primary consideration and/or where devices operate in harsh environmental conditions.

Although GaN’s penetration into the power market is going to put it on the map, it is important to recognize that it has been a key to device technology for over two decades. Its excellent radio-frequency (RF) properties are critical for radar systems as well as base station power amplifiers that underpin the 5G mobile networks that are critical to people’s daily lives.

Power is only the “Beginning”

Although it will be the Power Electronics market that will catapult GaN into mainstream status, this will only be the “first wave” of activity as there are bigger opportunities in the future that will be equally reliant on GaN. The “second wave” for GaN will be in microLEDs which will exploit the efficient optical properties for blue and green emission, something that is already used in the conventional LED and lighting markets. Although there is still a lot of uncertainty regarding the timing and the technology specifics for microLEDs, this market opportunity is considerably larger than Power, further solidifying GaN’s position as a critical semiconductor material.  

Beyond microLEDs, there is potential for GaN to be a critical material in quantum computing. The materials science challenges faced by quantum technologies—such as reducing qubit error rates and managing heat—play to some of GaN’s strengths. GaN’s proven ability to manage energy and thermal loads may make it an ideal fit for quantum’s demanding requirements.

In summary, GaN’s future is extremely bright. Having been involved in the development of GaN solutions for over 20 years, I can confidently say that the reliability and resilience it brings to high-power applications, especially those in extreme environments, are exactly what will fuel these next-generation technologies.  

Making GaN the New Standard

GaN’s potential is immense, and the forecasted TAM across the power electronics, RF, and photonics sectors is staggering (in the billions of USD). However, the industry still faces challenges to widespread adoption, particularly in terms of cost and supply chain limitations. These challenges are starting to be addressed, with more work required to realize the benefits of volume scaling. Even so, these are tractable engineering problems that will be solved. This means that GaN doesn’t just have potential – rather it’s the direction the industry is heading, and it is a given that it will be a dominant material. 

GaN’s journey from niche material to semiconductor powerhouse has been long in the making. As someone who has witnessed its evolution firsthand, I believe we are standing at the threshold of a new era for semiconductors. The shift toward GaN may not happen overnight, but the momentum is undeniable. The industry is waking up to its potential, and those who embrace its capabilities today will be the ones shaping the future.

About Rodney Pelzel

Dr. Rodney Pelzel has over 20 years of experience in the semiconductor industry, with deep expertise in semiconductor materials engineering and the epitaxial growth of compound semiconductors. Dr. Pelzel joined IQE as a Production Engineer in 2000. For the first twelve years of his career with IQE, Dr. Pelzel held various engineering and operational management roles focusing on scaling leading-edge epitaxial technology for volume manufacturing for wireless applications. In 2012, Dr. Pelzel was appointed as the head of R&D for the IQE Group and was tasked with creating unique materials solutions that enable IQE’s customers and provide them with a competitive edge. Throughout his career, Dr. Pelzel has been involved in numerous new product introductions, the most recent being IQE’s highly successful launch of 6” VCSELs for consumer applications. Dr. Pelzel is a chemical engineer by training, holding a BS (High Distinction) from the University of Colorado (1995) and a PhD from the University of California, Santa Barbara (2000). He is a Chartered Engineer and a Chartered Scientist, and a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers as well as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering. Dr. Pelzel’s work has been widely published and he is the co-inventor of 30+ patents.