NEC Electronics Eyes World Top of Compound Semiconductor ICs

NEC Electronics Corporation announced on Thursday the firm starts commercial sales of 20 types of gallium arsenide (GaAs) switch IC for cellular phones during fiscal 2007-2008 ending March 2009. In the second half of fiscal 2007, the firm will expand output capacity for GaAs switch IC to 10 times as much as fiscal 2006. The firm aims the world top share in fiscal 2008.NEC Electronics will also start commercial sales of 10 types of photocoupler within a year which transmits light between light emitting and receiving devices inside electric appliances. The firm plans to raise photocoupler output capacity to 200 million units per month within 2 years.As total, the firm will increase the sales of compound semiconductor devices to 75 billion yen per annum in fiscal 2010, 1.5 times of fiscal 2006.GaAs switch IC shifts high frequency signals at very high speed inside cell phones or wireless LAN appliances. The market of small and thin GaAs switch IC is expected to grow up by CAGR 15%. NEC Electronics holds 15% or world no.3 market share currently and aims 25% share in fiscal 2008. For better switching performance, the firm developed an original IC structure with an indium-gallium-arsenide layer sandwiched between two aluminium-gallium-arsenide layers.As to photocouplers, NEC Electronics targets to grow up the market share to world top 17% in fiscal 2010 from current 13%. High-speed photocoupler market, applied into thin TVs and PLCs, is expected to grow up by CAGR 14%. The market of normal photocouplers is also increasing by CAGR 5% such for power supplies, air conditioners and game machines.