Keysight Technologies and Taiwan’s WIN Semiconductors unveiled a collaborative platform designed to streamline the development of GaN (gallium nitride) RF chips by simulating the entire device-from the silicon die to the printed circuit board-before manufacturing. This approach aims to eliminate costly and time-consuming design iterations caused by mismatches between models and real-world performance, potentially saving weeks or even months in production cycles.
The platform integrates chip simulation, 3D topology verification, PCB design, and test module workflows into a single environment. It pairs WIN’s NP 120P process design kit (PDK) with Keysight’s Advanced Design System (ADS), a mature toolset widely used for high-frequency electronics development. Engineers can now preview the complete signal chain-including the chip, package, board, and measurement equipment-at an early stage.
This capability is particularly valuable for GaN devices, prized for their high power handling and frequency performance in 5G base stations, Wi-Fi gear, satellite communications, and radar systems. However, GaN’s sensitivity to design errors grows as frequencies increase and layouts become denser, making any flaw expensive to fix. A single fabrication rerun can delay product launches by several weeks or even quarters for complex projects.
Keysight and WIN estimate that the global GaN RF solutions market will grow to $2.77 billion by 2031. Heavy hitters like Qorvo, NXP, and Wolfspeed are already competing fiercely in this space, where the race to supply 5G infrastructure and aerospace systems hinges as much on development speed as on raw chip performance. Tools that reduce back-and-forth cycles between design software and fabs are emerging as important competitive advantages.
The partnership aligns with the broader semiconductor industry trend toward ”design enablement,” where foundries offer not just manufacturing but validated design kits and development tools. Foundries such as TSMC, GlobalFoundries, and Tower Semiconductor have long pushed this model in other chip markets. If Keysight and WIN’s new platform delivers higher first-pass success rates, it could particularly benefit smaller RF developers for whom an extra fabrication cycle is a serious financial hit, as well as large telecom equipment suppliers.
Looking ahead, the key question is whether this integrated simulation environment can sustainably reduce design iterations enough to shorten industry timelines and costs. As GaN continues to dominate next-gen RF applications, tools that promise to ”get it right the first time” could become standard practice-forcing competitors to improve their software capabilities or risk falling behind.