High-voltage SJ MOSFET market technologies and players

USA: Consumer is super junction MOSFET market's main application segment, representing 2/3 of its total market. And while some applications are stagnant, i.e., desktop PC and game console power supplies, most applications are still growing.

The biggest growth area will be power supplies for tablets, with an expected 32 percent increase in CAGR from 2013 to 2018. However, the main products where SJ MOSFETs are used are PC (Desktop and laptop) power supplies and TV sets, which total half of the SJ MOSFET market as presented in this report.

The driver for using SJ MOSFET in these applications is, first and foremost, size reduction. SJ MOSFET allows for a much smaller size than planar MOSFET, since they generate less heat.

The hybrid and electric car markets should not be ignored. True, they are less than $5 million today, but they will represent more than $100 million by 2018. This report clarifies the situation of SJ MOSFET in EV/HEV markets, and shows how SJ MOSFET will be used in DC/DC converters and chargers and how it provides accurate market metrics.

Industrial applications are less interested in SJ MOSFET use, since these applications do not require a high frequency of switching when operating in an H-bridge. SJ MOSFET is interesting only for specific topologies such as multi-level, or for cheap, low-power solutions (small UPS, residential PV) - but even in these applications, planar MOSFET or IGBTs remain better solutions since they are cheaper and meet all requirements.

In 2012, power electronics was in crisis. IGBT fell 20-25 percent in sales. Meanwhile, super junction MOSFET grew at 8.3 percent, a trend we expect will continue until 2018, when it tops the $1 billion limit. This forecast demonstrates how much the technology is needed. In 2011, production capacity was too small to handle the high demand. This shortage situation helped the SJ MOSFET market weather the 2012 crisis. For manufacturers, this demand was used as a buffer, and we believe that in 2013 the market will return to its normal supply status.

Another sign of SJ MOSFET being very attractive is the numbers of players that have entered/may enter the market. As explained in this report, the last 36 months have seen eight new players throw their hats in the ring; among them, the Chinese foundries and their fabless counterparts appear to pose the biggest threat to the historical leaders' market share.

Since the technology is widely used and widely produced, we will see more players join, such as Magnachip and ON Semiconductor. The availability of the technology in Chinese foundries makes things even simpler. 2010 market share was split between the historical leaders, with Infineon having a clear advantage since they were first to commercialize the technology.

However, recent announcements and partnerships will probably lead to a more level playing field. The feedback from integrators is that they don't really worry about the manufacturer's name or brand; instead, they focus on the specifications they need and the devices that fit. With Chinese, Taiwanese and Japanese foundries and device makers entering the market, we expect market share to shift. Several small players will eat a few percent and cause the leaders' share to shrink.