GaN Power Devices Go Vertical

Gallium nitride (GaN), as a wide bandgap semiconductor, shows great potential for high-voltage power applications. However, practical implementation faces significant challenges, particularly in mater... Read original →

The push toward vertical GaN power devices is triggering a full-stack technical reconfiguration—from native GaN substrate growth to packaging. Upstream MOCVD tools must evolve for low-dislocation GaN-on-GaN epitaxy, while downstream gate drivers require new 2DEG interface models. Export controls on EUV and ALD tools from the U.S. are indirectly inflating fab costs, especially limiting access to AlSiO gate stacks for firms in Taiwan, China and mainland China. Competitively, Wolfspeed and Infineon will likely accelerate SiC platform upgrades to narrow GaN’s window, while Navitas and GaN Systems double down on fast-charging markets for cash flow. If Mg-implant activation efficiency fails to surpass 70% within 18 months, vertical GaN will remain capped below 650V; but success would trigger rapid adoption in EV onboard chargers and solar inverters—displacing SiC with superior electron mobility and lower system cost.