Power Semiconductors Comparison - Materials & Technologies

Modern power electronics involves multiple semiconductor materials competing for market share. Understanding these materials is essential for evaluating the gallium market opportunity.

Power Semiconductor Materials

Silicon Carbide (SiC)

Material Properties

• Wide bandgap (3.26 eV)
• High thermal conductivity (490 W/m-K)
• High breakdown field (3.0 MV/cm)
• Superior temperature operation

Advantages

• Extreme temperature operation
• Very high voltage capability
• Excellent thermal properties
• Radiation hardness

Challenges

• Higher cost than silicon
• Lower cost than GaN in some segments
• Manufacturing complexity
• Defect density issues

Applications

• High-voltage converters
• Extreme temperature systems
• Electric vehicle main traction drives
• Industrial power systems

Market Status

• Established in niche applications
• Growing but slower than GaN
• Premium pricing
• Specialized manufacturer base

Gallium Nitride (GaN)

Material Properties

• Wide bandgap (3.44 eV)
• High thermal conductivity (130 W/m-K)
• High breakdown field (3.0 MV/cm)
• Fast switching capability

Advantages

• Fastest switching speeds
• Excellent high-frequency performance
• Lower on-resistance than Si at high V
• Superior integration potential

Challenges

• Newer technology (still maturing)
• Manufacturing scaling ongoing
• Cost declining rapidly
• Reliability still being established

Applications

• Consumer fast chargers
• EV on-board chargers
• 5G infrastructure power
• Data center power supplies

Market Status

• Explosive growth (25-40%+ annually)
• Rapidly declining costs
• Mainstream adoption underway
• Manufacturing capacity expanding rapidly

Silicon

Material Properties

• Narrow bandgap (1.12 eV)
• Thermal conductivity (149 W/m-K)
• Breakdown field (300 kV/cm)
• Mature, well-understood

Advantages

• Mature technology
• Lowest cost at high volume
• Established supply chains
• Extensive field history

Challenges

• Switching speed limitations
• Conduction loss at high frequency
• Heat dissipation constraints
• Size requirements for high power

Applications

• High-power industrial converters
• Grid systems
• Motor drives (lower frequency)
• Cost-sensitive applications

Market Status

• Mature, slow growth (3-5% annually)
• Commodity pricing
• Stable supply
• Incremental innovation

Performance Comparison Matrix

High-Frequency (>500 kHz) Operation

Material	Max Switching	Efficiency @ 1 MHz	Power Density	Advantage
Silicon	100-200 kHz	85-90%	10-20 W/cm²	Low frequency
GaN	1-10 MHz	95-98%	100-200 W/cm²	Excellent
SiC	50-200 kHz	92-96%	50-100 W/cm²	Very good

High-Voltage (>1200V) Operation

Material	Typical Max	On-State Loss	Size Impact	Advantage
Silicon	1200-3300V	High	Large	Mature
GaN	200-900V	Very low	Very small	Compact
SiC	1200-10000V	Low	Moderate	Extreme V

Temperature Performance

Material	Max Operating Temp	Temp Stability	Applications
Silicon	~150°C	Moderate	Standard systems
GaN	~200-250°C	Good	Consumer to industrial
SiC	~200-300°C	Excellent	Extreme temperature

Cost Analysis

Device Cost Trajectory

2024 Pricing (USD)

Component	Silicon	GaN	SiC	Notes
650V/30A Device	$1-2	$2-3	$5-10	GaN approaching Si
1200V/50A Device	$2-3	$5-8	$3-5	SiC competitive
Integrated Module	$5-10	$8-15	$15-30	GaN growing, SiC premium

System Cost Comparison

For 3 kW power supply example:

Component	Silicon	GaN	SiC
Power devices	$3-5	$5-7	$10-15
Heat sink	$10-15	$2-4	$5-8
Passives	$8-10	$4-6	$6-8
Integration	$5	$3	$4
Total	$26-35	$14-20	$25-35

Outcome: GaN significantly cheaper for high-frequency converters

Price Trajectory

Year	Si	GaN	SiC	Notes
2020	$1	$8-10	$12-15	SiC premium high
2022	$0.95	$4-6	$8-10	GaN costs declining fast
2024	$0.90	$2-3	$6-8	GaN approaching Si
2027*	$0.85	$1-2	$5-7	GaN cheaper than Si

*Forecast

Market Segments

Consumer Electronics Charging

• Silicon: Not competitive (too large)
• GaN: Dominant emerging standard
• SiC: Impractical (overkill/cost)
• Winner: GaN (explosive growth)

EV On-Board Charger

• Silicon: Limited applications
• GaN: Strong competition
• SiC: Growing alternative
• Winner: Splitting between GaN/SiC

EV Traction Power

• Silicon: Not viable (limitations)
• GaN: Emerging option
• SiC: Growing standard
• Winner: SiC (with GaN opportunities)

5G Infrastructure

• Silicon: Not sufficient
• GaN: Primary choice for power management
• SiC: Some applications
• Winner: GaN (mainstream adoption)

High-Temperature Industrial

• Silicon: Not adequate
• GaN: Possible (limited applications)
• SiC: Preferred material
• Winner: SiC (specialist material)

Grid & Utility Scale

• Silicon: Dominant
• GaN: Emerging in specific applications
• SiC: Growing adoption
• Winner: Silicon (with SiC growth)

Competitive Dynamics

GaN vs SiC

GaN Strengths

• Faster switching speeds
• Cost declining rapidly
• Integration capabilities
• Approaching silicon cost

GaN Challenges

• Lower voltage capability
• More recent technology
• Manufacturing still scaling

SiC Strengths

• Extreme temperature operation
• High voltage capability
• Proven reliability
• Established manufacturing

SiC Challenges

• Higher cost
• Slower switching speeds
• Less integration potential
• Slower cost reduction

GaN vs Silicon

GaN Advantages

• Superior high-frequency performance
• Smaller component size
• Better system efficiency
• Lower total system cost (high-frequency)

GaN Challenges

• Higher per-device cost
• Newer technology
• Smaller manufacturing base

Silicon Advantages

• Lower cost
• Mature market
• Established infrastructure
• Suitable for low-frequency applications

Silicon Challenges

• Size constraints for high-frequency
• Efficiency limitations
• Heat dissipation challenges

SiC vs Silicon

SiC Advantages

• Extreme voltage capability
• Temperature performance
• Power density
• Superior efficiency at high voltage

SiC Challenges

• Significantly higher cost
• More complex manufacturing
• Limited volume scaling

Application Evolution

From Silicon to GaN (Ongoing Transition)

Moving Applications

• Power supplies (consumer, industrial)
• EV charging systems
• 5G base station power
• Data center power supplies

Timeline: 2015-2030

From Silicon to SiC (Emerging Transition)

Moving Applications

• EV main traction drives
• Industrial converters
• High-voltage systems
• Extreme temperature systems

Timeline: 2018-2035

Market Outlook

Silicon Power Semiconductor Market

• 2024: ~$40 billion
• 2030: ~$45 billion (forecast)
• CAGR: 2-3% (mature growth)
• Trend: Slow erosion to GaN in high-frequency applications

GaN Power Semiconductor Market

• 2024: ~$1.5 billion
• 2030: ~$8-10 billion (forecast)
• CAGR: 30-35%+ (explosive)
• Trend: Rapid adoption in consumer and emerging automotive

SiC Power Semiconductor Market

• 2024: ~$1.5 billion
• 2030: ~$5-7 billion (forecast)
• CAGR: 20-25% (strong growth)
• Trend: Growing automotive traction adoption

Investment Implications

Gallium Opportunity

• GaN market growing 10-15x faster than silicon
• Multiple emerging applications
• Supply constraints supporting premiums
• Long-term structural growth
• Entry point: Now (technology adoption phase)

Market Dynamics

• Not zero-sum competition - Each material dominates specific niches
• Different value propositions - Cost vs. performance
• Coexistence expected - All three materials essential
• Technology evolution ongoing - Applications migrating to optimal materials

Key Takeaways

1. Multiple Materials - Power semiconductors increasingly material-diverse
2. Specialization - Each material optimal for specific applications
3. GaN Growth Leader - Fastest growing material, explosive adoption
4. SiC Emerging - Strong growth from smaller base
5. Silicon Stable - Mature but still dominant by volume
6. Technology Evolution - Clear migration patterns from Si to GaN/SiC

See Also

• GaN vs Silicon - Direct power semiconductor comparison
• Gallium vs Silicon - General semiconductor comparison
• Gallium Nitride - GaN detailed analysis
• Gallium in Power Electronics - Power applications
• Comparisons Hub - All material comparisons