A project consortium is creating a new sovereign supply chain to develop UK radio frequency (RF) gallium nitride (GaN) products and devices to be used in 5G communications.
The ORanGaN project will provide more security for UK manufacturers, more export opportunities for hardware manufacturers and will enhance 5G infrastructure and resilience within the UK, helping to grow the UK economy.
The ORanGaN project, supported by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), brings together lead partner INEX Microtechnology with Custom Interconnect Ltd, Viper RF and Compound Semiconductor Applications (CSA) Catapult.
Currently, there are no commercial RF-GaN devices fully developed and manufactured in the UK that can be used in 5G applications.
The project is developing new manufacturing processes and packaging solutions to create 5G components such as Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit Chips (MMIC).
MMIC chips are used in power amplifiers— components that boost signals before they are transmitted from a base station to smartphones and computers.
RF power amplifiers present one of the biggest market opportunities across the 5G network, with the global market set to grow to $9 billion by 2025.