Commercial applications revenues will grow from less than one million dollars to reach nearly $58 million till 2015, says Strategy Analytics.
Besides military applications, another area which is witnessing widespread deployment of gallium nitride (GaN) technology is commercial applications, according to a report entitled GaN Microelectronics Market Update 2010-2015, released by Strategy Analytics.
Targeted at GaAs and compound semiconductor technologies service (GaAs) and its Advanced Defense Systems Service (ADS) subscribers, the report forecasts that the overall GaN device market to grow at a CAAGR of nearly 29% to reach $178m in 2015.
Revenues from commercial applications, led by CATV and high power electronics, will grow from less than one million dollars to reach nearly $58 million till 2015, it adds.
However, according to Strategy Analytics report, military applications will be the major deployers of GaN technology.
But percentage of revenues from military applications will fall to 67% by 2015 from the present 98%.
Revenue growth rates for GaN devices in wireless infrastructure, high power electronics and CATV/VSAT (very small aperture terminals) will all exceed 100%, it is forecasted.
Strategy Analytics Director of GaAs and Compound Semiconductor Technologies Service Eric Higham said driven by performance advantages like efficiency, power dissipation and operating temperature, GaN is finally starting to generate interest in commercial market applications.
"GaN developments by device manufacturers like RFMD and Nitronex (for CATV applications) and International Rectifier and EPC (for power converter applications) are displacing other technologies. Operators and equipment manufacturers are recognizing the operating cost advantage that GaN can provide," Hingham added.
