Gallium Nitride and Silicon Carbide Expected to Displace Silicon in Power Electronics

Emerging materials such as gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) will eventually displace silicon in power electronic applications, according to a new report from Lux Research, which forecasts that the market for GaN power electronics will reach $1.1 billion, about 5% of the total market, by 2024.

GaN-on-Si (LUX)

While silicon and SiC (SiC-on-SiC) each come in only one flavor, GaN comes in many different variants, including GaN-on-Si, GaN-on-SiC, and GaN-on-GaN. Each variety of GaN has its pros and cons, and the different types are better suited to different power electronics applications. For example, GaN-on-Si offers price benefits, whereas GaN-on-SiC offers the benefit of efficient high-temperature operation.

Lux forecasts that GaN-on-Si carbide (SiC) will be best adopted in the transportation segment, because of SiC substratesâ€™ ability to function efficiently at high temperatures.

Source: ChargedEVs