Finwave Semiconductor

Finwave Semiconductor is an MIT-founded startup that has developed a patented 3DGaN (three-dimensional Gallium Nitride) technology for power amplifiers and transistors. The company's core innovation is a GaN FinFET (fin field-effect transistor) architecture that aims to improve linearity, output power, and efficiency in 5G and 6G millimeter wave (mmWave) systems. Finwave's technology is designed to be manufactured using standard 8-inch CMOS fabs and advanced photolithography, which the company claims allows for cost-effective production and scalability.

The 3DGaN technology developed by Finwave achieves more than a 10-dB increase in linearity compared to conventional technologies in power amplifiers and low-noise amplifiers. This improvement in linearity is achieved through the transistor's three-dimensional gate geometry, which reduces leakage current, current collapse, and knee voltage while improving power-added efficiency. Finwave's GaN-on-silicon transistors are capable of operating at frequencies ranging from eight GHz to 26 GHz, with power-added efficiency as high as 60%.

In addition to its 3DGaN technology, Finwave has also developed enhancement-mode (Emode) GaN transistors and high-power RF switches. The company's Emode RF FETs demonstrate less than one ohm-mm on-resistance, low knee voltage, and high transconductance, making them suitable for efficient power amplifiers in 6G FR3 frequency band (7-24 GHz) and FR2 mmWave band applications.

Finwave Semiconductor was founded in 2012 as Cambridge Electronics by MIT researchers Dr. Bin Lu and Professor Tomas Palacios. In June 2022, the company rebranded as Finwave Semiconductor and announced its focus on revolutionizing 5G communications with its GaN technology. In July 2022, Finwave raised USD 12.2 million in Series A funding led by Fine Structure Ventures, with participation from other investors.