With the global rollout of 5G networks, MACOM estimates that there will be a 32x to 64x increase in the number of Power Amplifiers required.
MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings, Inc. and STMicroelectronics have announced the expansion of 150mm GaN-on-Silicon production capacity in ST’s fabs to meet the global demand for 5G network buildouts.
The global rollout of 5G networks and move to Massive MIMO (M-MIMO) antenna configurations is expected to create a substantial increase in the demand for RF Power products.
MACOM estimates that there will be a 32x to 64x increase in the number of power amplifiers required.
In turn, this is expected to more than triple dollar content over the course of a 5-year cycle of 5G infrastructure investment and thus drive an estimated 10x to 20x decrease in the cost per amplifier.
Unlocking the industry bottleneck to make 5G a reality
“Major base station OEMs understand they need wide bandgap GaN performance with transformational cost structures and manufacturing capacity to meet 5G antenna cost, range and energy efficiency targets in the field. By teaming with ST, we believe MACOM is uniquely poised to provide it all — performance, cost and high-volume supply chain,” said John Croteau, President and CEO of MACOM.
With this joint investment, the companies anticipate meeting up to 85 per cent of the global demand for 5G network buildouts.
Marco Monti, President of the Automotive and Discrete Product Group, STMicroelectronics, believes that their collaboration with RF GaN-on-Silicon will enable OEMs to build a new generation of high-performance 5G networks.
“While Silicon Carbide is ideal for certain power applications such as automotive power conversion, GaN-on-Silicon provides the necessary RF performance, scale, and commercial cost structures to make 5G a reality. With this move, ST and MACOM aim to unlock the industry bottleneck and fulfill the demand for 5G buildouts,” he added.
