How Are Disruptive Technologies Transforming the Power Semiconductor Industry and Unleashing New Growth Opportunities?
The power semiconductors industry is evolving, driven by the rapid adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), advancements in renewable energy, and the rise of industrial automation. This change is being fueled by the integration of cutting-edge materials and innovative device architectures, which are enabling higher performance and more efficient operations. As traditional silicon-based devices approach their performance limits, the industry is increasingly turning to next-generation wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductors such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN). However, to build a sustainable, resilient, and innovative power semiconductor ecosystem, providers must address challenges including design complexity, reliability issues, low yields, and a growing skills gap. By adapting to these headwinds, the power semiconductor industry can effectively leverage the potential of emerging technologies to catalyze advancements across multiple high-demand applications.
Frost & Sullivan’s recent Semiconductor Think Tank delved into the realm of – Growth Opportunities in Global Power Semiconductors Ecosystem: Innovating the Way Forward in the Power Semiconductor Industry. This engaging discussion shed light on transformative megatrends, industry challenges, and best practices to help semiconductor providers supercharge growth.
Here, the following growth experts collaborated to share their views on disruptive technologies, transformative megatrends, and new business models revolutionizing the future of Semiconductors Prabhu Karunakaran – Industry Principal at Frost & Sullivan; Navdeep Saboo – Sr. Industry Analyst at Frost & Sullivan; Cem Basceri – Founder, President & CEO, Qromis, Inc.; Prasad Paruchuri – Technical Marketing Team Lead, Onsemi; Alexey Cherkasov – Senior Manager Product Marketing for High Voltage Power Devices, Infineon Technologies; and Sanchit Bhatia – India FAE Manager, Tektronix (TEKTRONIX, INC.)
Gain valuable perspectives from these experts by clicking here to access the recorded session of this Think Tank.
- Addressing Cost, Yield, and Reliability Challenges in Wide Bandgap (WBG) Power Semiconductors: The WBG power semiconductor industry faces significant challenges related to cost, yield, and reliability. In the SiC and GaN space, wafer substrate costs can account for 7-10% for GaN and up to 30-40% for SiC. Yield issues are also prominent, with defect rates consuming 20-30% of materials. To address these challenges, innovative manufacturing techniques and rigorous testing protocols are essential. – How is your organization implementing advanced techniques to overcome cost, yield, and reliability challenges in the WBG power semiconductor industry?
- Incorporating Sustainability in Power Semiconductor Manufacturing: Power semiconductor manufacturing processes, specifically for SiC and GaN-based devices are highly energy intensive and need efficient and sustainable process optimizations. Innovations such as advanced ceramics, shorter cycle times, optimized wafer extraction, substrate recycling, and green power technologies are essential process optimization. – Are your teams equipped with sustainable practices to minimize environmental impact while enhancing manufacturing efficiency across the power semiconductor industry?
- Driving Industry Standardization: Standardization in packaging and testing, exemplified by collaboration with the Joint Electron Device Engineering Council (JEDEC), maximizes industry-wide efficiencies. Companies like Infineon and On Semi are promoting unified solutions to achieve economies of scale, enhancing reliability and performance of power semiconductors. – How is your leadership committee implementing standardization practices to drive growth across semiconductor applications?
- Innovating Substrate Technologies for Future Applications: The semiconductor industry is focusing on developing advanced substrates for SiC and GaN technologies, targeting larger wafer sizes and improved crystal quality. Innovations in native and engineered substrates, including overlay techniques, aim to enhance yield, efficiency, and reliability, addressing industry challenges and making these technologies more commercially viable. – How is your organization leveraging advanced substrate technologies to meet industry needs and stay competitive in the semiconductor landscape?
- Harnessing the Potential of High-Voltage Applications: Vertical GaN technology has been in development for years, with ongoing efforts focused on achieving scalability and affordability. The commercialization of vertical GaN will be pivotal for high-voltage applications, particularly in the automotive and industrial sectors. This technology promises to revolutionize markets like electric mobility and high-voltage distribution systems. – Are your growth teams poised to capitalize on the commercialization of high-voltage vertical applications to drive technological advancement and enter new industry segments?
The top three challenges in the power semiconductor industry are cost, yield, and reliability. In the SiC and GaN space, wafer substrate costs alone can account for 7-10% for GaN and up to 30-40% for SiC. Yield issues are also significant, with defect rates consuming 20-30% of materials in both SiC and GaN. These factors, combined with the need for reliable performance, underscore the complexity and cost intensity of advancing these technologies.”
– Prabhu Karunakaran– Industry Principal at Frost & Sullivan.
“We are witnessing rapid advancements in the EV landscape and automotive autonomy, driving the automotive industry’s share of the power semiconductor market from 38.5% to an expected 46% by 2033. Alongside this, the communication and energy sectors are experiencing significant growth, fueled by trends such as the AI boom, cloudification, and the rise of renewable energy installations. These electrifying trends underscore the critical role of wide bandgap semiconductors, like silicon carbide and gallium nitride, in shaping the industry’s future.”
– Navdeep Saboo– Sr. Industry Analyst at Frost & Sullivan.
