Three Development Stages of Semiconductor Raw Materials

Semiconductor raw materials have gone through three stages of development:

The first stage is the first generation of semiconductor materials represented by silicon (Si) and germanium (Ge)

The second stage is represented by compounds such as gallium arsenide and indium phosphide (indium phosphide)

The third stage is based on broadband semiconductor materials such as gallium nitride (GaN), silicon carbide (SiC), and zinc selenide (ZnSe)

The Development History of Semiconductor Materials and Devices

In the field of materials, there is no saying that "one generation is better than the other" in the first, second, and third generations. Materials such as gallium nitride and silicon carbide are commonly referred to as wide bandgap semiconductors abroad. Make nitride semiconductors from gallium nitride, aluminum nitride, indium nitride, and their mixed crystal materials, or make III-V group semiconductors from gallium nitride, gallium arsenide, and indium phosphide. The term "third-generation semiconductor materials" used in China corresponds to the three industrial revolutions brought about by the large-scale application of semiconductor materials in human history. At present, the development of third-generation semiconductors is rapid, and the first and second generation semiconductors are still widely used in industry, playing an irreplaceable role in third-generation semiconductors.