Markets for pulsed RF power devices up to 18 GHz are expected to show continued growth over the next 5 years despite the current economic turmoil and cuts in defense spending. A report published by ABI Research expects the market to exceed $300 Million by 2019. Many markets that use pulsed RF power devices, such as transportation safety and military, are experiencing solid growth even in the midst of today’s economic downturn. These devices are used in radars for military, weather and marine applications, and in the current worldwide upgrade of the air traffic control system. There is also a market segment devoted to the avionics transponder and air navigation market, which is also lifted by the overall air traffic control upgrade.
In general the markets for pulsed transistors are less sensitive to economic upheavals when compared to consumer-driven markets, although they are not totally immune to the macro economy. Understanding this, many semiconductor manufacturers are attempting to enter this market space; however, some factors may complicate their efforts. Pulsed RF power device markets are becoming very competitive technologically: gallium nitride and silicon carbide devices are eying market share along with the more established silicon and gallium arsenide based technologies. The market may not be able to support all the new entrants. Among the leaders for high-power RF pulsed semiconductor devices are, M/A-COM Technology Solutions, TriQuint, Microsemi, NXP Semiconductors, Cree, Sumitomo Electric Device Innovations, and Integra Technologies who will have an advantage over new entrants.
A new ABI Research study, “Pulsed RF Power Semiconductors” forecasts the worldwide market for devices that have greater than 5 watts of peak output power and frequencies of operation up to 18 GHz. It examines the avionics, Sub-1 GHz, L-Band, S-Band, C-Band, X-Band, and Ku-Band radar markets, and contains forecasts through 2019. It forms part of the firm’s High-Power RF Active Devices Market Research.
