Wide Bandgap (Compound) Semiconductors

The advent of the solid-state transistor in 1947 heralded a new era of human development. The transistor found application in computing, telecommunications, integrated circuits, advanced photonic, sensing and medical fields, but to name a few. It is safe to say that the impact of the transistor has been felt across every facet of human society, from washing your clothes to space exploration. Silicon has been the workhorse for this revolution, but more recently, compound semiconductors have taken a number of these applications to another level. Compound semiconductors (III-Vs) are vital for high frequency devices, light emitting diodes and optoelectronics, whereas wide bandgap semiconductors are important in other fields such as high temperature and flexible electronics. Traditionally viewed by many as a tedious field, lacking in excitement, power electronics has witnessed a resurgence as a key enabling technology for delivering the net-zero agenda. The gains in wide bandgap power electronics are massive when we consider that 50% of all energy consumed flows through some form of electric motor.