Cardiff taking the lead in compound semiconductor innovation

Cardiff-based business IQE, a Cardiff University partner, are continuing their track record of innovation in the manufacturing and application of compound semiconductors.

In recent years, compound semiconductors have mainly been associated with smartphone technology, as well as DVD and Blu-ray players. However, IQE intend to develop and market uses for compound semiconductors far beyond this.

Chris Meadows, IQE’s head of marketing, told the Financial Times: “Mobiles have grown the industry, but compound semiconductors are key to driverless cars and sensors in healthcare technology. Healthcare will be dependent on compound semiconductors.”

The science behind these technologies is being developed and tested at our Institute for Compound Semiconductors, which includes academic staff from both the School of Engineering and the School of Physics and Astronomy.

IQE collaborate closely with the Institute for Compound Semiconductors as part of the Compound Semiconductor Centre, which is working to create new materials technologies for a variety of exciting and innovative applications. They are aiming to make Cardiff the leader in compound semiconductors for the UK and Europe.

The Centre is backed by the Welsh Government, UK Government and the European Union. Additionally, the 10 local authorities of the Cardiff Capital Region recently pledged £37.9 million to support the compound semiconductor cluster as part of the Cardiff City Deal.

The Institute for Compound Semiconductors is also part of our £300 million Innovation Campus, and will be sharing the new Translational Research Facility with the Cardiff Catalysis Institute.

The compound semiconductor cluster in Cardiff received a further vote of confidence this year as South Wales was chosen as the home of the UK Government’s new Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult, a facility that will make the latest technology available to small and medium-sized businesses.

You can read the full Financial Times feature on IQE here: https://www.ft.com/content/7b986bec-349e-11e7-99bd-13beb0903fa3