Microwave Tube Market to Top $1B in 2015
October 5, 2015 | ABI ResearchEstimated reading time: 1 minute
While microwave and millimeter wave high-power vacuum electron devices (VEDs) remain "below the radar" of many industry observers, the total available market (TAM) for this segment is over $1 billion. Despite its size, and although these tubes remain essential elements in specialized military, scientific/medical and space communications applications, this market is generally under-reported and poorly understood by those not directly involved in it.
After several rounds of consolidate in recent years, this is essentially now a stable industry. ABI Research Director Lance Wilson believes there is potential for some further consolidation, but there are no signs of that happening yet. However one new RF semiconductor technology – gallium nitride (GaN) – will change the landscape, but has not yet done so to any large scale. While it is not yet near monopolizing the microwave RF power industry, GaN is advancing steadily and is a technology that should be closely watched, as it will be a threat to some aspects of the microwave and millimeter wave VED marketplace.
"The size of this historic market continues to surprise everyone, and its longevity and firm resistance to RF power semiconductor encroachment is as surprising; however, that will be changing as GaN devices move up in frequency and power," says Wilson. "These specialized vacuum electron devices may at first seem anachronistic,” he adds. "But in some cases there is no other way to generate such high levels of RF power within an acceptably small space. Certain microwave and millimeter wave VEDs can generate megawatts, and it would take tens of thousands of transistors to do that."
Suggested Items
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
05/03/2024 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007This week’s most important news is strategic—and telling. When one puts together the IPC industry reports, we simply have to include the recent conversation with Shawn DuBravac and Tom Kastner. On the design side, check out the latest “On The Line With…” podcast featuring Brad Griffin from Cadence Design Systems, discussing SI and PI in the realm of intelligent system design.
IMI Welcomes New CEO
05/03/2024 | IMIIntegrated Micro-Electronics, Inc. (IMI),The IMI Board of Directors announced, in a disclosure dated April 25, 2024, the appointment of Louis Sylvester Hughes, Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Gstar Announced the Strategic Move: Groundbreaking of Silicon Wafer Factory Construction in Indonesia
05/03/2024 | PRNewswireRecently, Gstar held a groundbreaking ceremony for its silicon rod and silicon wafer factory, marking the beginning of the rapid construction phase.
ZESTRON Academy Launches 2024 Advanced Packaging & Power Electronics Webinar Series
05/01/2024 | ZESTRONZESTRON, the leading global provider of high-precision cleaning products, services, and training solutions in the electronics manufacturing and semiconductor industries, proudly announces the launch of its highly anticipated webinar series on Advanced Packaging & Power Electronics, a webinar series on the latest innovations, cleaning, and corrosion challenges.
On the Line With… Talks With Cadence Expert on SI/PI for PCB Designers
05/02/2024 | I-Connect007In “PCB 3.0: A New Design Methodology—SI/PI for PCB Designers,” subject matter expert Brad Griffin, Cadence Design Systems, discusses how an intelligent system design methodology can move some signal and power integrity decision-making into the physical design space, offering real-time feedback.