While microwave and millimeter wave high-power vacuum electron devices (VEDs) remain “below the radar” of many industry observers, the total available market (TAM) for this segment is still over US$1 billion for 2018. 

These findings are from ABI Research’s Microwave and Millimeter Wave High-Power Vacuum Electron Devices market data report.

Despite their size, and although these tubes remain essential elements in specialized military, scientific/medical, and space communications applications, this market is generally under-reported and poorly understood by those not directly involved in it.

Essentially, this continues to be a stable industry despite several rounds of consolidation in the past decade. However, one competitive RF semiconductor technology – gallium nitride – will change the landscape. While it is not yet near monopolizing the microwave RF power industry, GaN is advancing steadily and is a technology that should be closely watched, as it will be a threat to some aspects of the microwave and millimeter wave VED marketplace.

The size of this historic market continues to surprise and its longevity and firm resistance to RF power semiconductor encroachment is just as surprising; however, that will change to some degree as GaN devices move up in frequency and power.

More information about these findings can be seen in the ABI Research Report - Microwave and Millimeter Wave High-Power Vacuum Electron Devices market data report.