[News] China’s Wide Bandgap Chip Players Diverge, as GaN RF Surges; SiC Profitability Under Pressure - TrendForce

China's wide bandgap semiconductor industry is experiencing significant divergence, with GaN RF chips showing rapid growth while SiC carbide devices face profitability pressures. TrendForce analysis r... Read original →

China's wide-bandgap semiconductor sector is undergoing structural bifurcation: GaN RF devices are capitalizing on dense 5G deployments and EV fast-charging demands, achieving yield maturity and commercial viability, while SiC power devices face a triple squeeze—high substrate costs, persistent crystal defects, and brutal price competition. This divergence will redirect upstream capex toward MOCVD over SiC crystal growth furnaces and force downstream module assemblers to realign technology roadmaps. If policy support skews further toward GaN, SiC supply chain fragmentation risks intensify. Global rivals like Wolfspeed may exploit this by dumping 6-inch SiC wafers to stall Chinese capacity expansion. Over the next 18 months, GaN will unlock defense and mmWave radar applications as its second growth vector, whereas SiC survival hinges on 8-inch wafer adoption and vertical integration via IDM models to escape commoditization.