New GaN-on-SiC Process Enables High-Power Microwave Designs
The 0.1 µm GH10-10 process is now available to engineers for developing high-density RF circuits at up to 90 GHz.
Updated on Oct. 16, 2026 in Semiconductors
United Monolithic Semiconductors has showcased its GH10-10 process technology at European Microwave Week 2026. This 0.1 µm GaN-on-SiC fabrication process is now available through an open foundry platform and has demonstrated high-power capabilities across microwave and millimeter-wave bands.
Why it matters
The GH10-10 process provides a high-density, efficient solution for RF and millimeter-wave MMIC development, enabling designers to hit power targets in wideband amplifier circuits. By offering this technology through an open foundry, the company accelerates the path for third-party designers to integrate high-power performance into their own microwave systems.
The 0.1 µm GaN-on-SiC GH10-10 process delivers power densities up to 3 W/mm with device models validated up to 90 GHz. A current commercial example, the CHA6224-98F amplifier, achieves 21 dB of gain and 2 W of output power across the 20-40 GHz frequency range.
The players
United Monolithic Semiconductors
A foundry specializing in RF, microwave, and millimeter-wave MMIC components utilizing III-V semiconductor materials.
The details
The technology relies on Gallium Nitride (GaN) grown on Silicon Carbide (SiC) substrates, which allows for higher power density and thermal conductivity than traditional silicon architectures. Designers use these materials to match impedance in wideband circuits, facilitating high output power without sacrificing signal integrity. This process is currently applied in Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits (MMICs) that operate at both microwave and millimeter-wave frequencies.
Timeline
European Microwave Week 2026 took place from 4-9 October at ExCeL London.
The Tech Race
This development represents a progression in the competition to supply higher-frequency, high-power MMICs for next-generation telecommunications and radar systems. It follows the established industry trend of moving toward wider-band, higher-density GaN-on-SiC processes to outperform existing 0.25 µm and 0.15 µm baseline technologies.
System engineers can now access the GH10-10 process through the open foundry platform to prototype high-frequency power amplifiers. Future designs will also include the upcoming CHA6220-QGB amplifier, which is currently in development for 2-20 GHz applications.
The takeaway
The availability of this process allows for more aggressive power scaling in millimeter-wave applications. Designers should monitor the upcoming release of the CHA6220-QGB amplifier to see how this 0.1 µm process performs in lower-frequency bands.
Further reading
For broader trends in high-frequency hardware, explore the latest updates in Semiconductors.
More information
View the CHA6220-QGB amplifier information for further technical specs.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Everythingrf.
