[News] World’s First Mass-Produced GaN-on-Silicon RF Chip for Smart Terminals Surpasses 5 Million Units Shipped - TrendForce

The world's first mass-produced gallium nitride-on-silicon (GaN-on-Si) radio frequency (RF) chip for smart terminals has surpassed 5 million units shipped, marking a significant milestone in China’s s... Read original →

CETC’s 55th Institute achieving mass production of GaN-on-Si RF chips isn’t just a technical milestone—it fundamentally reshapes the cost-performance curve for power amplifiers. This breakthrough pressures LDMOS out of mid-to-high frequency bands and forces U.S. rivals like Qorvo and Skyworks to reassess the economic viability of their GaN-on-SiC roadmaps amid 6G R&D. TSMC, despite its process leadership, lacks an integrated GaN-on-Si RF ecosystem and faces heightened supply chain risks due to cross-strait compliance constraints. Over the next 12–24 months, this technology will extend into LEO satellite terminals and UAV communication modules, accelerating hardware standardization for space-air-ground networks. Crucially, if China sets interface standards for GaN-on-Si in smart terminals, it could bypass legacy RF patent walls and redefine 6G front-end architecture globally.