Knowing GaN

Recently, the semiconductor industry has continued to pay increasing attention to Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology. Due to its excellent electronic properties, Gallium Nitride devices have important applications in many high-tech fields:

1. Optoelectronic field: Gallium Nitride is a key material for manufacturing optoelectronic devices such as LED lighting and lasers.

2. Radio frequency field: In 5G communication technology, Gallium Nitride has become a core component due to its high frequency and high power density characteristics.

3. Power electronics: Gallium Nitride power devices improve charging efficiency and reduce the size of the charger in fast charging technology. They are also widely used in photovoltaics, data centers, electric vehicles and other fields.

The choice of substrate for a GaN device has a significant impact on its performance and cost:

1. Sapphire: Due to its mature manufacturing process, sapphire substrate provides a cost-effective solution, especially in the field of LED lighting.

2. Silicon carbide (SiC): Although more expensive, SiC substrates provide excellent thermal conductivity and are suitable for high power and radio frequency applications.

3. Silicon (Si): Silicon-based substrates are low-cost and compatible with existing semiconductor manufacturing processes, making them suitable for mass production.

4. Homogeneous Gallium Nitride (GaN-on-GaN): In theory, it is the most ideal choice, but due to technical and cost constraints, it has not yet been widely commercialized.