Improving the performance of high-power electronics - MIT News

MIT researchers have made a significant breakthrough in high-power electronics by embedding gallium nitride (GaN) transistors into an ultrathin diamond layer, substantially improving the speed and ene... Read original →

MIT’s integration of GaN dielets into single-crystal diamond isn’t just a thermal breakthrough—it’s a materials-level reset for high-power RF systems. This forces immediate redesigns in 6G base stations, satellite transceivers, and data center converters, pressuring OSATs to adopt heterogeneous integration at scale. Foundries like TSMC (Taiwan, China) risk losing their RFIC edge if they can’t co-integrate ultra-wide-bandgap devices with high-thermal-conductivity substrates within 24 months. Expect the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security to soon restrict diamond-GaN composites under emerging tech controls, raising barriers for Chinese firms. Competitors like Qorvo and Wolfspeed will likely deploy patent thickets to delay rivals. If wafer-scale manufacturing hits 8-inch compatibility, Japan and Europe’s CVD diamond equipment makers gain strategic leverage. The next 18 months will pivot on cost: can thermal performance be delivered below $0.50 per watt? That threshold dictates whether this stays in aerospace or floods into commercial infrastructure.