Partnership to launch Compound Semiconductor Centre

IQE – supplier of advanced semiconductor wafers – and Cardiff University have announced new partnership aiming to build a Compound Semiconductor Centre.

The Compound Semiconductor Centre (CSC) will be based in Cardiff and will bring industry and academia together to create a UK-based cluster for next-generation semiconductor technologies.

Professor Diana Huffaker, Ser Cymru Chair in Advanced Engineering and Materials, said: “The Compound Semiconductor Centre is a unique facility unlike anything else in the UK or European Union. It brings together Cardiff University research in parallel with industrial scale production from IQE and future industrial partners. In effect, the partnership builds a bridge from basic research to commercial technology transfer.”

The CSC will be jointly owned and jointly controlled by Cardiff University and IQE. The new centre will be working closely with Cardiff University’s new £40 million Institute of Compound Semiconductors (ICS).

To date, Cardiff University has contributed £12 million in capital investment to the venture, with IQE committing hardware, buildings, infrastructure as well as licensing certain intellectual property to the CSC.

The planned cluster has the potential to create up to 5,000 new jobs within the region over the next five years.

“Not only will this joint venture help foster education at all levels but it will help create jobs within Cardiff and Wales. The teaming of IQE and Cardiff University is crucial to both sides: the venture allows IQE to try experimental ideas which they really think will be important, while Cardiff benefits from IQE’s business direction. It’s really a perfect union between the two. CSC/ICS will be open for business for any interested industrial and academic users,” said Professor Huffaker.