The Gallium Nitride Revolutions

Errata:
7:19: I mean milliampere-hour not milliampere per hour. Thanks Chris for the correction.
7:27: I mean milliampere-hour not milliampere per hour
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[@Moddingear]

slight correction : it's not mA/h but mA.h, that's energy (not exactly joules, that would be W.s, but for batteries it's the advancement of the reaction so combine that with the battery's potential you get energy)

[@DEtchells]

I was just coming here to say this :-)

[@vytautasvaicys8745]

Was about to comment the same thing...

[@Henning_Rech]

It is not energy, but simply charge (sometimes called capacity).

[@emailkanji]

@UC6j0lZcHJRbSq1J-v8tIYbw @varno Nope. It's a unit of charge. If you know the voltage then you can convert it to energy. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_charge Edit: For some reason when I reply to @varno youtube converts their name into that long string of characters while not mentioning them.

[@kevinb2469]

Thank you, I was going to mention the same thing. The unit for 1400 mAh is that it can deliver 1400 milliamperes for an hour, then it’s done. I’m not even sure what 1.4 A/hour would even be useful as.

[@narendraputradipta2468]

In 2020, I had a chance to do research in GaN-based optoelectronics devices for photonics integrated circuits. The grand idea was since GaN was already a promising candidate for power electronics and it is a direct bandgap material, it might be possible to realize an all-in-one solution for everything electronics in the GaN platform (kind of). Another charm of GaN is its second-harmonic generation capability means that you can double your light frequency by passing it through carefully engineered GaN-based waveguides. I got my degree from an Indonesian university. At that time, we had a joint research project with French universities and we also sent a few PhD students to learn from them. However, my alma mater is not pursuing this research topic anymore, whilst the French researchers are still researching this very topic.

[@NiceBot724]

Was the research done in IISc ?

[@alexanderphilip1809]

@@NiceBot724 He is not Indian.

[@NiceBot724]

@@alexanderphilip1809 oh my bad, thanks for correcting

[@DaveKeil]

7:47 - The units of battery capacity is expressed in amps x hours. If you work through the units it's the number of coulombs of charge it holds. Amps / hour would reduce to coulombs / hour^2 , which is some kind of acceleration unit

[@1998awest]

Great video, Jon. My dissertation from 2004 was about GaN / AlGaN HEMTs. At the time, we were only set up to grow on 2" substrates of sapphire and SiC. High quality 2" SiC substrates were $4500 apiece, which added significant cost. To dial in optimal conditions, we'd use sapphire, but if we wanted to make the best device possible, we'd use SiC due to relatively low lattice mismatch to GaN and high thermal conductivity.

[@AzureVenezia]

Me too. I submitted mine about GaN HEMT modeling in 2006.

[@malloot9224]

We received some new generation servers last week and they came with 2400W power supplies that are the size of my hand, in volume maybe half of a normal sized ATX PSU. We where floored at how small they are for 2400w, GAN is amazing. Also they are titanium efficiency rated and made by some Chinese vendor we had never heard of before. Edit: they turn out to be the world's first 100W/in3 density psu's

[@fungo6631]

If it's some Chinese vendor, it's probably stolen design from a western company.

[@johnburke8337]

While Nakamura et alia were no doubt critical to blue LEDs, it’s sort of sad to see Theodoros Moustakas passed over as essentially the co-inventor of them still. He did publish the buffet later prices for high quality GaN first, and it was integral for the blue LED. That said, he and Nakamura seem to understand the accolades are outside of their control and remain in friendly contact, so really good on both of them.

[@Muonium1]

They totally ignored the inventor of visible light LEDs and laser diodes themselves, Nick Holonyak jr., which in my view is even worse.

[@johnburke8337]

@@Muonium1 I can def bite into that too, thanks for your follow up

[@craigslist6988]

Nobel prizes are more politics than science tbh, scientists have to appreciation whatever little recognition we get in terms of public appreciation and prestige, and I think most unpolitical scientists see it that way. That is why some people reject the prize (didn't Bob Dylan decline his?) not that it changes anything. And even beyond that the rules are that the award is for something specific and forbid recognizing anyone posthumously, hence why sometimes you get an award for some random thing given to an old person, they want to acknowledge the body of work they produced before they can't. And I think at most 2 people can share it, which today I am mixed about. Publications are now ridiculous listing every person who took a glancing look at the lab the work was done in. But it's also practically impossible now to make scientific progress with one or two people, so a mechanism to allow more recognition without diluting it would be nice.

[@dongshengdi773]

​@@Muonium1 what is the meaning of Oxygen?

[@Muonium1]

@@dongshengdi773 the meaning of oxygen is ambiguous ennui

[@RinoaL]

I have a 1940s Selenium rectifier I bought at a surplus store in silicon valley years ago, and it's amazing to think how silicon made the modern equipment just a tiny component, but now with these future materials, components will continue shrinking to amazing degrees.

[@IFRYRCE]

xzibit at 11:10 is honestly the best meme I've ever seen just slipped into a video. The slight pause at the end of the sentence after he fades in. It's all just so beautifully done. You do this a good bit, but this one in particular was just top tier. The way you're able to slip stuff like that into genuinely informative content gives me a little bit of hope for humanity. It might not all be lost after all.

[@SangheiliSpecOp]

huh...

[@sepg5084]

Hope for humanity? Cringe

[@Eduardo_Espinoza]

Me no get it :(

[@NoNTr1v1aL]

Can someone pls explain the joke? I don't get it.

[@ChemEDan]

@@NoNTr1v1aL Yo dawg I hear you like ________, so I made _________!

[@elforeign]

Thank you for the fantastic content, you ability to introduce these concepts and then show how they are interlinked and inter-related with real world applications is a tremendous feat.

[@nomore-constipation]

While I was listening to this video my spouse walked in and was actually curious about what was being discussed to my surprise (they are usually bored to tears) I have to say that the sandwich analogy caught her attention as she kept listening and we were discussing the build and possibly of GaN use in the future and why it was important I appreciate your view on this, it's always nice to simplify the process to let others understand the whole process visually. I'm usually trying to use this for myself and I usually try and use the description of telling a parable to make sense of remembering. Kudos on the video!

[@johnserrano9689]

I heard, your neighbors couldn't wait to tell everyone who'd listen about just how hard you JackHammered her booty for exactly 36 minutes they said the beds headboard hitting the wall sounded like thunder.....well done Man

[@azhuransmx126]

An electronic guy with spouse okeyy😂

[@thatguythere98]

Great video as always. I just graduated in EE and CPE and am starting a job at a company that specializes in GaN and SiC. I’m excited to learn more about these new types of semiconductors

[@damny0utoobe]

I did a presentation on GaN for my MSEE. It's so nice to see Asianometry talking about this. Going foreward, in power electronics SiC and GaN are going to dominate. Better start using these in your designs ASAP.

[@Karl-Benny]

SAAB have been for years

[@klote82]

Hey Asian, I just found your channel today and I really enjoy it. You have a good clear speaking voice and present material in an easy to follow way. Great job!

[@kundeleczek1]

This channel became my insight into world of new techniques. Thank you and keep it this way please.

[@rogerbeck3018]

I cannot understand all that is contained in your productions, but I always learn something. Thanks Jon

[@rpgiacon]

Man, you have the very best content on youtube, Thank you for doing that! I used to dream of the internet being a source of endless knowledge, and you keep this dream alive!

[@gljames24]

Thank you for discussing GaN semiconductors. It's arguably the most important semiconductor in development and use right now.

[@gabedarrett1301]

Just wanted to express my appreciation for your high quality content! Your videos mention real world applications, explain the significance of a given topic, and are concise, all while being informative and easily understood by regular people. Truly outstanding work, as always!

[@JurisKankalis]

Amazing and clearly informing video as always. Didn't know or even imagine the slimmer chargers use other type of substance. Well done! Greetings from Latvia.

[@alexandrunica1697]

I really enjoy your videos, and you do a really good job explaining these concepts! Thank you!

[@briankoval3368]

I’ve recently run across your channel and love the detailed content. Thank you

[@jkobain]

Oh, more Asianometry? Please, yes!

[@UkraineJames2000]

Agreed. This man is an absolute powerhouse of great content.

[@damny0utoobe]

@@UkraineJames2000 And he speaks clearly! Great to have this guy on the inside the fab for us.

[@BaronVonQuiply]

I remember in the mid-late 90s, reading an article in the high school library about the blue LEDs about to hit the market, and what they were going to make possible. The example they gave that I remember is large stadium TVs with the promise of LED consumer TVs at some future point, and some talk of white light and how blue is absolutely required for RGB, hence the B..

[@Muonium1]

I think we were probably reading the same edition of Popular Science at the same time.

[@fromgermany271]

In the late 70s car maker here started to replace lightbulbs for LEDs in the dashboard. But there was one issue. The blue for „high beam“. So there got the permission of using yellow instead. And when blue LEDs came, a lot of people did not know what it‘s for anymore.

[@remixisthis]

I’m using a GaN power bank right now and I’m amazed by how fast it charges itself and charges my devices. Really game changing at a larger scale

[@saeedsh65]

Wow! Amazingly informative video. It combined all the different aspects of GaN industrialization growth. Thanks for making these contents... Keep up the good job :)

[@jamesjosephclarke]

This channel makes me so happy. Learning about the progress that we're making, and the people/teams involved in making it happen is uplifting. Thank you so much for making these videos.

[@thany3]

8:13 The transition beGaN. I'll see myself out now. Cheers.

[@tomasnielsen5132]

I work in the industry, but I am still impressed by your insights. Keep it up! You're doing incredible work here!

[@michaeldunne338]

Great segment on an important topic that doesn't really get much visibility. I first heard of GaN back in the mid-1990s, with respect to the development of AESA radar (active electronically scanned array: believe the Japanese were early adopters, with air, naval and land radar systems then). So, was good to get a rundown on developments around GaN.

[@netscapeboy]

Love this channel, haven't even watched the video but again it's an instant like / thumbs up . . .

[@ketodiana]

The info was comprehensive! trying to learn some knowledge of the GaN and this is brilliant contents!

[@MCPicoli]

Sapphire is just pure, doped, crystalline alumina. Semiconductor grade sapphire is expensive not because it is a gemstone, but because of the purity and quality of the crystals. In fact, sapphire for these uses are 100 % synthetic.

[@generischerkanal]

Electron saturation velocity go brr.

[@favesongslist]

Great, informative an interesting video, Well done. I used to work on designing semiconductor profile plotters here in the UK, I followed some of the then very novel research projects. sapphire substrates were mainly used for radiation hardening at the time, was very interested with the growth of Gallium and then into GaN research.

[@hawkeyes4768]

yooooooo tyvm for this summary as a engineer we dont every shut up about Gallium and optics in pc we are tired of waiting cant wait to see them in everything

[@metagen77]

Usually parts of your vids go over my head but I can understand sandwiches, nice!

[@stupidburp]

GaN is also demonstrating significant advantages in sensor devices such as AESA radars.

[@azhuransmx126]

The new GAN FETs series of Power MOSFETS from Nexperia is just some SciFi madness. 100A Ids and 650Vds max in a surface of 3x2mm, seriously that density of power is in another level thanks to this matterial.

[@alainpean1119]

Thanks to make the history of the GaN tehcnology, his advantages and drawbacks so clear. We'll see if someone invent a process to mass production of GaN gallet.

[@RedcoatsReturn]

Superb information density and coherent and lucid explanation! Your channel is extraordinary and brilliant! 😲👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏😊👍👍

[@sohamlakhote9822]

Thank you so much for such a great video. 👍

[@Neeboopsh]

i used to play laser tag at a local spot in my home town. this was before the blue led was either invented, or maybe it was invented but not yet commercialized. three teams, red, orange/yellow and green. the orange yellow was quite orange and in thick fog to many it looked more red, and the red looked dim in the fog, mixing with white spot lights, looked sort of orange at times. being on the green team was good, because you never had to worry about shooting your own team in poor conditions ;) i was no longer going there when they got the blue leds, but that would have made it way better when i was going there.

[@marbleop9881]

Size of batteries is measured in Ah (ampere hours). Not ampere per hours. It's like Wh (watt hours). Ampere is a measure of elemental charges (electrons) per time. So amp hours is a measure of charges.

[@Username-qx9gk]

Capacity of batteries is measured in Watt Hours = Volts*Amps*Time. Ampere is a measure of current, Ampere Hour is a measure of current over time. Without also knowing the voltage, ampere hour figure is essentially meaningless

[@Stewi1014]

I totally get the confusion here though because 'ampere hours' is very easily misheard as 'amp _per_ hours'. I've always used watt hours to conceptualize it; amp hours are the same as watt hours but they measure current instead of power. Interestingly, as I've gotten more advanced with my PCB designs, I find myself using amp hours far more than watt hours.

[@Stewi1014]

@@Username-qx9gk Voltage is also meaningless. It's just a made up definition for roughly understanding a charge gradient between two arbitrary points. A lot of units we all use are meaningless. mAh is just annoying because it's abused far more often by marketing departments to make devices seem powerful without actually disclosing any information about the device.

[@Username-qx9gk]

@@Stewi1014 Marketing departments also love Amper Hours figures for some reason 😏

[@agnelomascarenhas8990]

@@Username-qx9gk Cell voltage is a function of chemistry, so a constant. Capacity in Coulombs is a function of quantity of reactants ie size. So the units are A*h

[@louisgiokas2206]

WOW! Same story as gallium arsenide. Faster switching times, early adoption by the military (involved in some of those) and hard to work with. In the meantime, silicon improved fast and overtook gallium arsenide because of its lower cost and larger scale. I recall once a relative of mine asking about a stock tip in a gallium arsenide company. I told him the story I have just related, and he did not invest. Good thing, since that company went under not long after. Gallium arsenide may well have a niche place in the industry, but I expect that is all.

[@thegametech513]

Great work!!!

[@DemPilafian]

*_"GaN Charger"_* sounds an awful lot like *_"Game Changer"._*

[@rich_in_paradise]

Please don't eat sandwiches where the bread has been doped.

[@viewer-of-content]

2 out of 3 CIA agents would disagree., and ask that you eat that sandwich. The third CIA agent is figureing out how to cover up and shread any documents on operation Dope A Sandwich, and it's not to be confused with operation MK ultra.

[@BobWidlefish]

Mustard is totally dope.

[@capability-snob]

John said he left no evidence of the brownies. Those are the more common baked good to be doped.

[@BobWidlefish]

@@capability-snob fact-check: true.

[@nathrm]

What if it dope with Mayo and mustard

[@moetocafe]

That is a nice video on this technology, thank you.

[@Saphykitten]

This is a fun Holiday episode

[@henningklaveness7082]

It'll be interesting to see the impact of GaN in lightweight power systems, eg power tools, drones, etc. Re: synthetic sapphire, it's cost as a semiconductor substrate cannot possibly be tied to it being a precious gemstone. I know next to nothing about the field, but I do know that low quality synthetic sapphire is ubiquitous throughout mechanical industries, where it sees uses ranging from precision bearings through abrasive compound.

[@pizzablender]

Sapphire is a crystal of aluminium oxide. Also not easy to manufacture, but in the image in the video you can see the industrial shape it is manufactured in.

[@Tugela60]

Sapphire is gem quality corundum. It is not used as an abrasive. Corundum is used for that.

[@nostalgicmusicbox]

Thank you for this video. It explains why I have not been able to find a GaN pure sine wave inverter anywhere. I'm not sure if GaN would be a good use but I'm hoping.

[@nicholasfigueiredo3171]

oh That's really fricking cool it is the first time something close related to my lab is cited. I work in a lab in Brazil and we make the semiconductor part of sensors for the aeronautic(I work in research and have no idea how it is currently made). We work manly with optoelectronics like solar-cells and medium infrared. My sector is trying to make the gallium-nitride semiconductors by Atomic layer deposition(basically you turn the compound into a gas and condenses slowly over a surface) and we have achieved enough success in the process that the semiconductor can be successfully used on solar-panels but are yet good enough to be used as sensors or for electronics. It is insanely hard to make them the concentration of the gas and the layer numbers affect the crystal and this create defects and the really sad part is that we can't adjust instantly(but the changes happen fast) we need either better equipment or better control of what we already have. My main job here is to compile the data, and control the equipment with the instructions provided by my 2 mentors on the project they are the ones that analyze the data(I don't think I am capable of doing so even if I am almost graduating one has a phd and the other is actually doing this as his phd project).

[@Eduardo_Espinoza]

This is awesome! :D keep it up! :)

[@zibobpompon5768]

Your channel is very informative and interesting Thank you .

[@ahmethakancoskun899]

Great video. One thing to mention is HEMT had been used in military applications way before GaN appeared. GaAs HEMTs can provide high power and low noise at the same time. They also can operate at higher frequencies.

[@uploadJ]

You will find they are used in all DBS LNAs and LNBs too ...

[@grahamstevenson1740]

Another factor affecting operation at elevated temperature is the temperature at which intrinsic conduction starts to dominate over extrinsic, leading to thermal (primary) breakdown/'thermal runaway'. Would be nice to have info on this characteristic vs silicon which can be used only up to around 200C (junction temperature).

[@Palmit_]

thats was a mega power move of a video jon!.Entirely interesting, includes food and blue LEDs!! also lots 'o deep info at multi level. The kick is learning/teaching ratio is at an understandable level.."the subtle learning is empowered by repeated subtle lessons." < -i made that quote up. But... it is true for a willing learner, if a fact is to stick.. it has to be absorbed 3 times in different presentations/examples/stories each time. :)

[@clarencegreen3071]

Many years ago I came up with a "half-life" analogy for teaching for optimal retention. Spend an hour on a topic. Beat it to death. Drum it in. Students will initially have good retention but the half life will be short. The material doesn't stick very well. An alternative strategy is to spend, say, 15 minutes giving an introduction with not a lot of detail. After a week or so, give the topic another 15 minutes, this time going into more detail. Then repeat for a third time, this time providing all the required detail. After three visits to the topic, the half life will be very long which is to say the retention will be excellent - far better than with the initial approach. I employed this method in the time frame of a single semester-long course, and also, when I had the opportunity, built it into the sequence of courses in a 2-year program of study. (Subject was electronics technology.)

[@Palmit_]

@@clarencegreen3071 Thats good info! and pretty much what is was angling at. Particualrly the half -life of retention :)

[@mannyespinola9228]

Thank you for this video

[@notvanpron4115]

I cant wait for the RF video :)

[@krishnakanthcake]

Man you deliver

[@Sir_Uncle_Ned]

GaN is some bloody amazing stuff. I have a 4-port USB charging station that uses conventional MOSFETs and can deliver up to 25 watts, but I also have a 4-port USB charger that uses GaN MOSFETs and can deliver 65 watts in less than half the volume. It's amazing.

[@markjob6354]

Thank for this dissertation on GaN 👍 Very informative. 🤔 Looks like GaN is the way forward for power electronics if they can perfect an economic way of producing larger yield wafers ?

[@prae7068]

Excellent video...

[@Cultural.Enrichment.]

Impecable knowledge!

[@bok..]

I keep forgetting Canada's role in Semiconductors, it would be interesting if you did a video on the industry in Canada.

[@howardsimpson489]

Could you also please do a lecture on high voltage high power solid state over the years as in megawatt grid equipment. There are still the odd mercury rectifiers operating (rail lines) but there was no way they could handle 1200KV and several gigawatts.

[@Tyler_0_]

@ 2:36 Silicon carbide being an indirect band-gap semiconductor, and silicon also being indirect band-gap are not related, they are completely different materials. For instance, gallium phosphide is indirect while the nitride is direct.

[@crazyirishman121]

These videos are great.

[@x2ul725]

This is a shout out to old school constant current rectifiers ! Just the dial and meter is all you need...New constant voltage chargers > expensive and I think filled with those GaN chips.

[@clutteredchicagogarage2720]

I am not an expert in this, but I invested in a power-electronics startup a few years back. Through them, I met one of their suppliers, which was a quite innovative startup in the WBG semiconductor space. The guys I know in the industry believe that SiC will likely continue to dominate in high-wattage applications. From what I've seen, GaN has a sweet spot in miniaturization of relatively low wattage applications like phone chargers. For applications like EV inverters, EV-charger rectifiers, and other high-wattage power-distribution applications, SiC has advantages due to its superior thermal conductivity and (I believe) durability. Both these companies have since been acquired by large multi-nationals, and I haven't followed R&D in this space as closely in the past 12 months or so. In any case, I believe that there will continue to be advances in WBG semiconductors that will continue to enable companies to miniaturize power distribution products, make switching of high-wattage loads more efficient, and enable improved electrification of mobility and energy storage. I think GaN will be just part of this WBG semiconductor story.

[@Davido2369]

That outro of yours, talking fast, sounds like " job done, time for beer, im outa here"

[@Bloated_Tony_Danza]

Gallium supply is difficult to increase because it's production is firmly tied to other, seemingly unrelated markets that take priority over it. It's a byproduct of zinc and copper mining, there are no gallium mines. If you want more gallium, you first need to want more copper and zinc. If that doesn't happen, you have supply problems.

[@jozefnovak7750]

Thank you.

[@Muonium1]

I think there is a subtle misconception at 2:30. I could be wrong, but I don't think the indirect bandgap of SiC has anything to do with silicon itself having an indirect bandgap. It's a completely different material with its own electronic properties and band gap structure. That it is also an indirect band gap material is probably just a coincidence, but maybe some condensed matter QM specialist here knows different.

[@SeekingTheLoveThatGodMeans7648]

Synthetic sapphire (ruby, etc.), being aluminum oxide, is cheap to make. The jewel bearings in watches made with it are a few cents each. Perhaps it is the needed crystal quality that is difficult to get.

[@robertpearson8546]

With dual gate GaN, power supply manufacturers can throw away the bridge rectifier and the 60% efficient 1920-vintage boost regulator and use the 2011 bridgeless PFC circuit.

[@Cuplex1]

My current phone didnt include a charger, as with any flagship model. But they were not entirely cheap either, I had to buy one for $50 to enable what Samsung calls Super Fast charging 2.0. It's very convenient when you have to charge from a very low battery level and up to 75% in no time.

[@agoogleuser2369]

I love my GaN chargers ranging from 45W all the way to 120W. They're very compact considering the amount of power they're output.

[@drewwilson8756]

The revolution is constant. Life is short. Chase the action!

[@hematose]

Awesome to see the Canadian Military Communications Museum in Kingston, ON @ 5:24. Do you have a connection to the area or did you just grab a random picture off the internet?

[@tombouie]

Thks &; *Session 1: Silicon Carbide (SiC) vs Gallium Nitride (GaN) vs Silicon (comparison chart @2:25) kzbin.info/www/bejne/bnzNcneMbtB2b5Y End of the silicon era. Processors of the future kzbin.info/www/bejne/el6QpIaEgM6Jjsk *USB-C PD Charging Explained! kzbin.info/www/bejne/e2qZkpuJn5pghJo What is USB Power Delivery? - Gary Explains kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6bLYaeIgaaBpsU What is USB Power Delivery kzbin.info/www/bejne/f2W2mHqiaLKGgNk

[@gregvanpaassen]

Sapphire is just aluminum oxide. The "precious gemstones" have a few impurities such as magnesium, chromium, or iron. It's hard to see why it's expensive.

[@michaelharrison1093]

Blue and white LEDs are produced as GaN on sapphire. The cost of sapphire has reduced considerably over the last few years

[@dfsilversurfer]

ok i love this knowledge .So it would be feasible to assume that there would be some good returns in stocks relating to GaN semiconductors development sectors. Anyone care to make assertions in regards to investment returns ?

[@omnipotent1992]

The silicon carbide looks like a drawn picture of art.

[@tribulationcoming]

What is the parts numbers, if available, for a GaN transistor. I'm an experimenter and would acquire these if possible.

[@pilotgrrl1]

Anker is my favorite brand for smartphone accessories. They're high quality and well-priced. They just work.

[@kanetao]

What facility was that a picture of with the two radars and the water tower?

[@samdonelson8050]

Ok where does it come from, what are the dangers of mineing it to the land and fauna, and what are the dangers of disposing of it?

[@Jason-fm4my]

I'd be interested to see a video about Navitas.

[@lidarman2]

Rod Holt must be so envious ...or proud. :)

[@jaisbr]

Batteries are specified in mAh, which describes the number of mA they could output for 1 hour. 4300 mAh means it can output 4.3A for 1 hour. Or the same battery could output 1A for 4.3 hours.

[@tombouie]

A simple question; I'm in the-US & making a cool solar concentrator oven. I would like to place a solar PV cell at the focus of the parabolic mirror. Of course I'll water cool the back of the solar PV cell (like a car radiator system). Supposedly gallium PV cells are much more temp tolerate than silicone PV cells. However ????where in the-world can I buy a few gallium PV cells????

[@arbok00044]

Thank you

[@H0mework]

I remember these GaN chargers. Interesting about the DC-DC. I wonder if those tech companies will make a DC power grid, I’ve heard of HVDC in China, and I doubt the US infrastructure will change.

[@lengould9262]

Surprised you didn't mention electric grid applications such as HVDC transmission, frequency conversion on generators of large wind turbines, battery energy storage for grid, others. Will advances in GAN affect costs there?

[@michaelharrison1093]

Initially SiC will dominate in these applications as it is already scaled to work at higher voltages. Several companies already have commercially available SiC FETs that are rated for 3.3kV. The current highest voltage GaN device commercially available is rated at 900V. The automotive industry is showing a lot of interest into GaN on the basis that it has a much better chance of being able to be scaled to meet the demands of EV applications. All existing commercially available GaN is GaN on Si wafers, however this is the technology bottleneck limiting developing higher voltage GaN FETs. GaN on sapphire will allow for much higher voltage FETs to be made and this will probably end up being lower cost and higher performance than SiC.

[@lengould9262]

@@michaelharrison1093 Thank you.

[@howardsimpson489]

@@michaelharrison1093 GaN and SC IGBTs?

[@matthewday7565]

So this displaced GaAs? I remember that being used for higher RF performance than MOSFETs, the GaAsFET, not sure if they were ever more than small signal devices though Many III-V semiconductors are possible, as an alternative to group IV (periodic 14) Paradoxically, Lead and Tin are in the same group as Silicon and Germanium but are metallic rather than semiconductor

[@TropicalCoder]

Does the higher bandgap translate to less leakage?

[@daveedwards1667]

how common is gallium? and where does it come from? is there enough of it for what people are planning for?

[@gljames24]

It is as common as lithium and lead, but unlike lithium that needs to be leeched out of rock, it's commonly found with other elements like aluminum and germanium. Currently, the major source of gallium is from bauxite refineries which would already be operating to produce aluminum anyway.

[@disadadi8958]

Approximately as common as lead or arsenic. It binds to different ores, such as bauxite and zinc ores, and can be found as compounds in them. Apparently as an oxide, for example.

[@jakedee4117]

Fascinating stuff. Now I'm wondering about long term up-stream and down-stream effects of a Gallium revolution (I'm guessing the nitrate bit can be sorted out easily). Will we have local warlords fighting each other for supplies of precious Gallium ? Will our grandchildren be poisoned by Gallium crystals leeching into the water supply ?

[@davidb6576]

Also have to worry about keeping Ga out of the trash stream and recycling - it's a "poison" for aluminum alloys.

[@aquaneon8012]

Growth of leds is the number 1 factor for the insanely high cost of microled tvs. Each 4k microled tv requires 25 million leds, not to mention the number of leds that are defective and have to be replaced. This means you will need 100s of sapphire wafers just to make a single microled tv.

[@Mr.E.Shoppa]

Another slight correction: they forgot to mention one other American Physicist who greatly contributed to the GaN blue LED. Some people literally hogged the credit for this great invention.