MACOM and ST are pushing gallium nitride on silicon into mainstream RF markets and applications

     STMicroelectronics and MACOM announced a co-development agreement for gallium nitride GaN on silicon. Under the agreement, ST manufactures gallium nitride radio frequency wafers on silicon for MACOM. In addition to expanding MACOM's sourcing, the agreement gives ST the right to manufacture and sell gallium nitride products on silicon in the RF market beyond mobile phones, wireless base stations and related commercial telecommunications infrastructure. Through this agreement, MACOM expects to achieve higher chip capacity and an optimized cost structure, replace existing LDMOS chips, and accelerate the adoption of gallium nitride on silicon in the mainstream market. St and MACOM have worked together for many years to increase the production of gallium nitride on silicon in ST's CMOS fabs

     JohnCroteau, President and Chief executive Officer of MACOM, said: "This agreement is a milestone in our long journey to lead the RF industry's transition to gallium nitride technology on silicon. As of today, MACOM has improved and validated the benefits of gallium nitride technology on silicon through its small compound semiconductor plant, with RF performance and reliability matching or exceeding the alternatives to expensive gallium nitride products on silicon. We look forward to this collaboration bringing these GaN innovations to fruition throughout the silicon supply chain, ultimately serving the most demanding customers and applications."

     "ST's wafer manufacturing scale and operational excellence will enable MACOM and ST to drive new RF power applications," said MarcoMonti, president of ST's Automotive and Discrete Devices Division. "Breakthroughs in manufacturing costs will help expand gallium nitride market share on silicon." "While the opportunity to expand existing RF applications is attractive, we are interested in using gallium nitride on silicon for new RF energy applications, especially automotive applications, such as plasma ignition to improve the combustion efficiency of conventional engines and RF lighting applications to enable more efficient and long-lasting lighting systems."

     EricHigham, director of advanced semiconductor application services at StrategyAnalytics, said: "Once high-power RF semiconductors break the $0.04 / watt barrier, there will be a lot of opportunities in the RF energy market. In markets such as commercial microwave ovens, automotive lighting and ignition, and plasma lights, RF energy devices may ship in the hundreds of millions and sell in the billions of dollars."