The great chip shortage of 2022: Navitas Semiconductor weighs in

Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Source: Qualcomm

If you've recently spent any amount of time trying to buy the best graphics cards or best CPU for your custom PC, you'll notice a problem: Everything is out of stock or being sold for exorbitant prices on reselling sites such equally eBay. That's considering there'due south a chip shortage going on all effectually the world.

This tiny ingredient of much of our applied science is at the core of why people are having to resort to grayness markets to get their tech these days. Semiconductors ― in this instance, silicon-based chips ― are in brusk supply thanks to the pandemic and the increasingly loftier need for electronics as a result of a global shift toward remote work. However, chipmaking is a time-intensive process, significant the spike in consumer hunger is outpacing supply by a hefty margin, even as companies rush to keep up.

I spoke with Navitas Semiconductor CEO Gene Sheridan to hear his thoughts on the state of the shortage likewise as to larn if there are alternative solutions to the current worldwide puzzler.

Consumer impact

Source: Microsoft

As a result of low supply and loftier demand, major semiconductor manufacturers such as TSMC are upping their prices. I asked Sheridan what portion of these price hikes are likely to be passed on to consumers as the shortage situation evolves.

"I recall the TSMC price increase announcement is just public recognition of the natural supply and need economics reflecting extraordinary need for semiconductors today and going forrad," Sheridan said. "In the power conversion, or fast charging market, the master power-processing semiconductors are a modest percent of total costs, and once yous add other components (like transformer, USB-C controllers, instance, etc.), manufacturing, packaging, distribution and retail, it may be lost in the wash."

Other PC and tech components may not share the aforementioned fate as chargers, with the overall consumer-facing consequences of spiking semiconductor prices remaining to exist seen. Still, in at least i section, there's a chance the stop-user won't demand to think near what touch on the TSMCs of the globe are having on their devices' prices.

Even with the global shortage'south potentially minimal consequence on power processing device prices, Navitas Semiconductor is focused on utilizing an alternative to silicon and, by extension, fugitive many of the existing global problems with current chip product. Though silicon has its place, Sheridan and Navitas are focused on gallium nitride (GaN).

Solutions besides silicon

Ibm 2nm Chip Source: IBM

When it comes to integrated circuits (ICs), there are different types with different functions, as well as different logistics to consider.

"GaN-power ICs themselves have upward to x times lower CO2 footprint than legacy silicon fries," Sheridan stated, highlighting one of the benefits of going the GaN road. "Plus, the higher efficiency and smaller size of the terminate equipment mean that companies similar Lenovo can make skillful progress on their ain carbon net zero plans."

Lenovo is ane of Navitas' customers, as are Dell, Xiaomi, and Amazon. These are a few of the companies utilizing GaN.

Sustainability isn't the just perk companies tin gain from GaN, though. There'due south besides the production timeline angle to consider.

"While silicon atomic number 82-times are growing, GaN power ICs can be a half dozen- or 12-calendar week atomic number 82-time, and with plenty of manufacturing chapters," Sheridan said. Nevertheless, he clarified that GaN won't be a substitute for everything ― at to the lowest degree for now.

Though GaN is keen for processing ability, data is another story entirely. "For processing data, it's silicon for the foreseeable time to come," Sheridan said. "At 1 or 2 volts, silicon has not bad functioning metrics."

The state of semiconductors

Intel Chip Source: 60 Minutes

In the brusk term, the sophisticated manufacturing processes of silicon semiconductors volition remain the norm for much of the PC earth, as processing information efficiently and effectively is key. However, as GaN has demonstrated, alternatives for different facets of processing are going mainstream, and there may even so be a more easily sustainable successor to silicon on the horizon ― just not anytime presently.

As it stands, the respond to the current shortage is the one already being invested in past so many companies and countries around the world: Upwardly current production efforts. Expensive and resource-consuming as it is, everyone from the U.S. government to companies such as Intel and TSMC are focused on expanding what's already established. There's no telling when silicon will lose its authorization in data processing, merely the condom bet is that it won't be anytime soon.

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