Union Minister reviews Gallium Nitride Technology center – GEECI, Bengaluru

What is the News?

The Union Minister of Electronics & Information Technology has visited the Gallium Nitride Ecosystem Enabling Centre and Incubator(GEECI) facility at the prestigious Indian Institute of Sciences (IISc), Bengaluru.

What is Gallium Nitride Ecosystem Enabling Centre and Incubator(GEECI)?

GEECI has been jointly set up by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and IISc Bengaluru.

Aim: To establish Gallium Nitride(GaN) based Development Line Foundry facility, especially for Radio Frequency and power applications, including strategic applications. 

What is Gallium Nitride(GaN)?

Gallium nitride(GaN) is a very hard, mechanically stable wide bandgap semiconductor. The compound is a very hard material that has a Wurtzite crystal structure.

Properties of Gallium Nitride: High heat capacity, Sensitivity to ionizing radiation is low, faster-switching speed, higher thermal conductivity and lower on-resistance.

Applications of Gallium Nitride

LEDs and lasers: GaN-based violet laser diodes are used to read Blu-ray Discs.

Transistors and Power ICs: GaN transistors are suitable for high frequency, high voltage, high temperature and high-efficiency applications.

Space and Strategic Applications: ​​Its sensitivity to ionizing radiation is low, making it a suitable material for solar cell arrays for satellites. Military and space applications could also benefit, as devices have shown stability in radiation environments.

Nanoscale: GaN nanotubes and nanowires are proposed for applications in nanoscale electronics, optoelectronics and biochemical-sensing applications.

5G Devices: Due to high power density and voltage breakdown limits, GaN is emerging as a promising candidate for 5G cellular base station applications. It will also play a key role in enabling e-vehicles and wireless communication.

Source: This post is based on the article “Union Minister reviews Gallium Nitride Technology center – GEECI, Bengaluru” published in PIB on 14th Mar 2022.