Monolithic Microwave IC Market

Report ID: GMI4126
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Summary
Methodology

Monolithic Microwave IC Market Size

The global monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) market recorded appreciable growth in 2024 and is estimated to exhibit commendable growth over 2025-2034. The growing demand for high-performance microwave components in next-generation communication systems, aerospace, defense, and automotive industries is driving the market growth at a fast pace.

MMICs are more desirable than conventional hybrid microwave circuits because they have higher reliability, smaller size, lower cost to manufacture, and better high-frequency performance. The increasing use of 5G and soon emerging 6G technology requires devices with the ability to process higher frequencies and bandwidths, which MMICs support effectively. Statistics from 5G Americas and Omdia show that over 170 million new 5G connections were made globally in the third quarter, outlining the rapid adoption of next-generation wireless technology. Predictions are that in 2029, 5G connections will be 8.4 billion, accounting for 59% of all wireless connections globally. Moreover, usage in automotive radar systems, satellite communications, and electronic warfare further accelerates market growth.

Monolithic Microwave IC Market Trends

The shift toward GaN-based MMICs is meaningful because GaN can support higher voltages, frequencies, and temperatures than the traditional gallium arsenide (GaAs) devices.

SiGe technology is also picking up steam, particularly for RF front-end component integration with digital circuitry to achieve improved performance in small form factors that are applicable to consumer electronics as well as telecom uses. The integration provides improved signal processing with reduced noise levels, essential for use in radar and satellite communications.

The mass deployment of 5G networks worldwide has significantly fueled demand for MMICs, especially in the millimeter-wave (mmWave) band (24 GHz to 100 GHz).

In the future, the expected evolution of 6G wireless technology by 2030 will call for even more advanced MMICs supporting terahertz frequencies, focusing on power efficiency and integration. MMIC producers are already heavily investing in R&D to meet these new requirements.

The automotive sector is quickly adopting MMIC-based radar sensors to facilitate Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) such as automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and blind-spot detection.

Government expenditure on defense keeps driving the MMIC market, especially for radar, missile guidance, electronic warfare, and secure satellite communications. China, India, and the European Union are also expanding defense R&D, focusing on indigenous semiconductor production, which supports the MMIC supply chain.

The pressure for small, multifunctional components is compelling MMIC vendors to engineer highly integrated circuits that encompass several RF functions on a single chip. This tendency facilitates the overall system size and power reduction, crucial for portable and wearable applications, satellites, and IoT devices.

Monolithic Microwave IC Market Analysis

Material Segment

Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) remains the market leader in the MMIC material segment due to its excellent electron mobility and frequency performance. GaAs-based MMICs find widespread applications in high-speed and high-frequency operations in areas like satellite communications and radar systems.

The technology development of GaN is also notable, with improved power density and thermal conductivity, which makes it ideal for high-power applications in military and telecommunications.

Application Segment

  • Telecommunications: 5G network rollout is a major impetus, with MMICs enabling the high-frequency signal processing needed.
  • Automotive: MMICs in ADAS and autonomous vehicle systems are making vehicles safer and more efficient.
  • Aerospace and Defense: MMICs are essential in next-generation radar and communications systems, with growing defense spending supporting market growth.
  • Consumer Electronics: The need for smaller, more efficient components in smartphones and other products is propelling MMIC adoption.

Regional Analysis

  • North America: Dominating the market with heavy investments in defense and 5G infrastructure.
  • Asia-Pacific: Set to experience the quickest growth, fueled by the pace of industrialization, 5G rollouts, and rising defense spending in economies such as China and India.
  • Europe: Growth is driven by developments in automotive technologies and heightened emphasis on satellite communications.

Monolithic Microwave IC Market Share

Key players in the monolithic microwave ic industry include:

  • WIN Semiconductors:
  • United Monolithic Semiconductors GmbH (UMS)
  • Infineon Technologies AG
  • NXP Semiconductors
  • Analog Devices (formerly Maxim Integrated)

The MMIC market continues to be competitive, with leading firms investing heavily in R&D and inorganic approaches to growth to increase their presence.

All these firms are undertaking a range of inorganic growth strategies, including mergers, new product launches, partnerships, and acquisitions, to increase their presence and business activities around the world.

Monolithic Microwave IC Industry News

In November 2024, leading semiconductor product supplier MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings, Inc. announced that it had acquired ENGIN-IC, Inc., a fabless semiconductor company with a focus on high-performance Gallium Nitride (GaN) monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) and integrated microwave assemblies, in Plano, Texas, and San Diego, California. The deal is likely to improve MACOM's design capabilities so that the company can more effectively serve its target markets and increase its share in the market.

In November 2024, the Defence Research and Development Organisation's (DRDO) research laboratory, the Solid State Physics Laboratory (SSPL), successfully established indigenous processes for producing 4-inch silicon carbide (SiC) wafers and gallium nitride (GaN) high electron mobility transistor-based monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs).

Author: Suraj Gujar,

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