The Backbone of Modern Technology
As technology becomes more integral to our lives, the demand for semiconductors is steadily growing. Semiconductors have a conductivity between conductors (like metals) and insulators (like glass). Their ability to control the flow of electrical current, excellent band gap, photoconductivity, and temperature-dependent conductivity makes them essential in modern electronics such as integrated circuits (ICs), MEMS, transistors, etc.
The intrinsic semiconductor materials are silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), and gallium arsenide (GaAs), with silicon being the most widely used due to its abundance, cost-effectiveness, and well-established manufacturing processes. One of the most important aspects of extrinsic semiconductors is doping. Manufacturers can control their electrical properties by intentionally introducing impurities into semiconductor material. Doping introduces either an excess of electrons (n-type) or a deficiency of electrons, creating "holes" (p-type). When p-type and n-type materials are combined, they form a p-n junction, a fundamental building block of devices like diodes, transistors, and solar cells.
n-type and p-type semiconductors P-N Junction Diode
| Materials | Application Area | Devices/Functions |
|---|---|---|
| Silicon, GaAs, InP, OLED | Consumer Electronics | Smartphones, Tablets, Computer, TVs, Wearables |
| Si, SiC, GaN | Power Electronics | Power diodes, Transistors, Electric vehicle systems |
| Silicon, CdTe, CIGS, a-Si | Photovoltaics | Solar panels, Thin-film solar cells, Energy harvesters |
| GaAs, InP, GaN, Si | Optoelectronics | LEDs, Laser diodes, Photodetectors, Displays |
| GaAs, SiGe, InP, Si | Communication | RF/Microwave devices, Fiber-optic communication |
| Si, GaAs, InP | Medical Devices | Medical sensors, Imaging devices, Diagnostic equipment |
| Si, Polymer, Metal alloys | Sensor and MEMS | Accelerometers, Pressure Sensors, Gas sensors |
| Si, GaN, SiC | Automotive | Power systems, Sensors, Autonomous driving |
LTS Research Laboratories Inc. is a specialist in the manufacture of semiconductor-grade chemicals for flat panel displays and MEMS applications. We manufacture an entire series of Sulfides, Arsenides, Selenides, Germanides, and other intermetallic for MEMS/semiconductor applications.
LTS has production facilities for the purification of semiconductor materials. Our 3-500 L vacuum induction furnaces enable us to produce compounds in the form of evaporation pieces and sputtering targets for thermal spray applications.
PLD Crystal growth Electrolytes Evaporation-Deposition Materials Infrared Optical Materials Semiconductor Solar
