GaN-on-Silicon Transistor Comparison 2018

The market for GaN high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) is very appealing, drawing in ever more manufacturers. This factor lowers prices, making GaN devices good competitors for the currently-used silicon-based power switching transistors such as MOSFETs and IGBTs.

Nevertheless, the technical details are still unsettled, with every manufacturer presenting its own solution to die design and packaging integration. This brings fierce competition, which will accelerate technical innovation and further lower prices. Moreover, GaN business models are still very different, and in the future we will see supply chain restructuring driven by the main cost factors. Manufacturers propose different approaches for epitaxy, gate structure, device design, and packaging, all focused on solving the problems linked to GaN’s intrinsic properties and its integration with silicon.

In this report, System Plus Consulting presents an overview of the state of the art of GaN-on-silicon HEMTs to highlight the differences in design and manufacturing processes, and their impact on device size and production cost. We have analysed different devices at low and medium voltage from EPC, Texas Instruments, Panasonic, GaN Systems and Transphorm. The report includes detailed optical, Scanning Electron Microscope and Transmission Electron Microscope pictures of the packaging, the transistor structures and the epitaxy.

This report provides an estimated production cost for the integrated circuit gate driver, transistor, and package. It also compares the different components available on the market.

KEY FEATURES OF THE REPORT:

• In-depth analysis of GaN’s penetration in different applications including power supplies, PV, EV/HEV, UPS, lidar, wireless power and electrical transmission
• State-of-the-art GaN power devices, including product charts and device descriptions
• Description of the GaN power industrial landscape, from epitaxy and device design to device processing
• Discussion of GaN power market dynamics
• State-of-the-art for power GaN packaging
• Reliability overview on GaN
• Market projection for the GaN epitaxy market through 2021 by value and volume

REVERSE COSTING WITH

• Detailed photos and identification
• Scanning Electron Microscope and EnergyDispersive X-Ray analyses of transistor structures
• Transmission Electron Microscopy analysis of epitaxy layers
• Manufacturing process flow
• In-depth economic analysis
• Manufacturing cost breakdown
• Estimated sales price
• Comparison between EPC, Texas Instruments, Transphorm, GaN Systems, and Panasonic

Overview / Introduction

• Executive Summary
• Reverse Costing Methodology

Technology and Market

Company Profile

• EPC
  Texas Instruments
  Transphorm
  GaN Systems
  Panasonic

Physical Analysis

• Low Voltage
  • EPC: EPC1010, EPC2010C and EPC2045
  • Texas Instruments: LMG5200
• Medium Voltage
  • Transphorm: TPH3002PS, TPH3206PS and TPH3208PS
  • GaN Systems: GS66508P, GS66506T and GS66504B
  • Panasonic: PGA26E19BA
  • Texas Instruments: LMG3410
• Physical Data Summary

Transistor Manufacturing Process

• EPC
• Texas Instruments
• Transphorm
• GaN Systems
• Panasonic

Cost and Price Analysis

• Summary of the Cost Analysis
• Yield Explanations and Hypotheses
• Low Voltage
  • EPC: EPC1010, EPC2010C, EPC2045 and EPC2040
  • Texas Instruments: LMG5200
• Medium Voltage
  • Transphorm: TPH3002PS, TPH3206PS and TPH3208PS
  • GaN Systems: GS66508P, GS66506T and GS66504B
  • Panasonic: PGA26E19BA
  • Texas Instruments: LMG3410