Science institute to get Rs30b foundry to produce nano material in Bengaluru
new delhi — The next generation of semiconductors used in communication and defence technologies like radars are likely to come out from the Indian Institute of Science, (IISc) Bangalore.
Semiconductors are a silicon substance that has a conductivity between that of an insulator and most metals. These are indispensable for electronic circuits.
The IISc has received approvals from the government to set up a Rs30 billion foundry for research and development for the nano material, gallium nitride. This wonder material is emerging as one of the most efficient semiconductors for next-generation technologies.
The foundry is proposed to be developed around an existing facility for producing gallium nitride transistors on silicon chips at the IISc’s Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE). The team is led by associate professor Srinivasan Raghavan.
Gallium Nitride or GaN, is a much superior alternative to silicabased semiconductors used currently, and is expected to generate revenues in the range of $700 million by 2020, from the current range of $300 million, according to experts in the field. The demand for the material is global.
“The proposal to set up a foundry at the IISc for producing GaN is a good development,” said R K Sharma, director of the DRDO’s (Defence Research and Development Organisation) Solid State Physics Lab.
Gallium nitride technology has wide applications in both consumer goods as well as advanced machines like light combat aircraft and fighter jets.
The CeNSE facility at the IISc was inaugurated in 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The facility’s task is to create an ecosystem of GaN electronics, including materials, devices and systems.
GaN-based transistors from the CeNSE are already being sold to researchers in the country. The creation of a commercial GaN foundry would help the industry demands for the emerging technology. China, India’s perceived competitor, has already invested millions of dollars in GaN research.