[News] U.S. Reacts to China’s Gallium Export Controls with New Initiative for Diamond-Based Semiconductors

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China has taken steps to assert state ownership over its rare-earth materials necessary for semiconductor production by enacting a regulation that came into effect on October 1st. In response to China’s export restrictions, the U.S. Department of Defense agency DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) has asked Raytheon to develop new types of semiconductors that do not rely on materials controlled by China, according to Tom’s Hardware.

Wide-bandgap semiconductor materials such as gallium nitride (GaN) are used in the production of advanced power chips and radio frequency amplifiers, and China controls a significant portion of the global gallium supply. According to a report from Tom’s Hardware, China’s recent export restrictions on gallium pose potential risks to American national security. To counter this challenge, the U.S. DARPA has asked Raytheon to develop synthetic diamond and aluminum nitride (AIN) semiconductors.

According to Tom’s Hardware, while GaN is a leading material for high-power and high-frequency semiconductors with a bandgap of 3.4 eV, synthetic diamond has the potential to surpass GaN’s capabilities with its bandgap of around 5.5 eV. However, synthetic diamond is still an emerging semiconductor material, and there are many challenges to overcome for mass production. Aluminum nitride features an even wider bandgap of about 6.2 eV.

As per the report from Tom’s Hardware, Raytheon aims to develop diamond and aluminum nitride semiconductors for both current and next-generation radar and communication systems, including radio frequency switches, limiters, and amplifiers that can be integrated into high-speed weapon systems. However, Raytheon has not yet developed suitable semiconductors.

According to the press release from Raytheon, during phase one of the contract, the Raytheon Advanced Technology team will develop diamond and aluminum nitride semiconductor films and their integration onto electronic devices. Phase two will focus on optimizing and maturing the diamond and aluminum nitride technology onto larger diameter wafers for sensor applications.

Quoting from the press release, Colin Whelan, president of Advanced Technology at Raytheon, states that “this is a significant step forward that will once again revolutionize semiconductor technology.” He emphasizes that “Raytheon has extensive proven experience in developing similar materials, such as gallium arsenide and gallium nitride, for Department of Defense systems. By leveraging that pioneering history and our expertise in advanced microelectronics, we will work to advance these materials for future applications.”

(Photo credit: iStock)

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