III-V Materials

III-V materials, named for their placement in columns III and V of the periodic table, have generated excitement in the scientific community in the past few years. These materials (GaN, AlN) and others (ZnO, SiC) have wide bandgaps which enable them to be used for a variety of applications. The bandgap is a material property that determines whether it will act as an insulator, conductor, or semiconductor.

Wide bandgap semiconductors have properties that are advantageous for many technologies. They are robust materials, able to operate in high temperatures and can handle high power requirements. They are ideal for use in high frequency, high bandwidth devices found in wireless basestations, space electronics, microwave communications, and radar.

The bandgap of certain semiconductors is also what enables them to be used in optoelectronics. The height of the bandgap in inversely related to the wavelength of light either emitted or detected. Wide bandgap semiconductors operate in the blue and UV region of the optical spectrum, an area unavailable until now. Their development allows new products such as blue lasers, high brightness LEDs, and UV detectors to be developed. These devices are making solid-state lighting and new high density data storage devices possible.