Prediction and Challenges of Fifth-Generation Semiconductor Materials

Prediction and Challenges of Fifth-Generation Semiconductor Materials

Semiconductors are the cornerstone of the information age, and the iteration of their materials directly determines the boundaries of human technology. From the first generation of silicon-based semiconductors to the current fourth generation of ultra-wide bandgap materials, each generation of innovation has driven leapfrog development in fields such as communication, energy, and computing. By analyzing the characteristics of fourth-generation semiconductor materials and the logic of generational replacement, the possible directions of fifth-generation semiconductors are speculated, and at the same time, the breakthrough path for China in this field is explored.

I. Characteristics of Fourth-Generation Semiconductor Materials and the Logic of Generational Replacement

The "Foundational Era" of the first generation of semiconductors: Silicon and germanium

Characteristics: Elemental semiconductors represented by silicon (Si) and germanium (Ge) have the advantages of low cost, mature process and high reliability. However, they are limited by the relatively narrow bandgap width (Si: 1.12 eV, Ge: 0.67 eV), resulting in poor withstand voltage and insufficient high-frequency performance.
Applications: Integrated circuits, solar cells, low-voltage and low-frequency devices.
The reason for generational change: With the surging demand for high-frequency and high-temperature performance in the communication and optoelectronics fields, silicon-based materials are gradually unable to meet the demands.

ZMSH's Ge optical Windows & Si wafers

Second-generation semiconductors: The "Optoelectronic Revolution" of compound semiconductors

Characteristics: III-V group compounds represented by gallium arsenide (GaAs) and indium phosphide (InP) have an increased bandgap width (GaAs: 1.42 eV), high electron mobility, and are suitable for high-frequency and photoelectric conversion.
Applications: 5G radio frequency devices, lasers, satellite communications.
Challenges: Scarce materials (such as indium reserves of only 0.001%), high preparation costs and the presence of toxic elements (such as arsenic).
The reason for generational replacement: New energy and high-voltage power equipment have put forward higher requirements for voltage resistance and efficiency, which has driven the emergence of wide bandgap materials.

ZMSH's GaAs wafer & InP wafers

Third-generation semiconductors: The "Energy Revolution" with Wide bandgap

Features: With silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) as the core, the bandgap width is significantly increased (SiC: 3.2 eV, GaN: 3.4 eV), featuring a high breakdown electric field, high thermal conductivity and high-frequency characteristics.
Applications: Electric drive systems for new energy vehicles, photovoltaic inverters, 5G base stations.
Advantages: Energy consumption is reduced by more than 50% compared with silicon-based devices, and the volume is reduced by 70%.
The reason for generational replacement: Emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing require higher-performance materials for support, and ultra-wide bandgap materials have emerged as The Times require.

ZMSH's SiC wafer & GaN wafers

Fourth-generation semiconductors: The "Extreme Breakthrough" of Ultra-Wide Bandgap

Characteristics: Represented by gallium oxide (Ga₂O₃) and diamond (C), the bandgap width has further increased (gallium oxide: 4.8 eV), featuring both ultra-low on-resistance and ultra-high withstand voltage, and having huge cost potential.
Applications: Ultra-high voltage power chips, deep ultraviolet detectors, quantum communication devices.
Breakthrough: Gallium oxide devices can withstand voltages of over 8000V, and their efficiency is three times higher than that of SiC.
The logic of generational replacement: The global pursuit of computing power and energy efficiency has approached the physical limit, and new materials need to achieve performance leaps at the quantum scale.

ZMSH's Ga₂O₃ wafer & GaN On Diamond

Ii. Trends in Fifth-Generation Semiconductors: The "Future Blueprint" of Quantum Materials and Two-dimensional Structures

If the evolutionary path of "bandgap width expansion + functional integration" continues, the fifth-generation semiconductors may focus on the following directions:

1) Topological insulator: With the characteristics of surface conduction and internal insulation, it can be used to build zero-energy electronic devices, breaking through the heat generation bottleneck of traditional semiconductors.
2) Two-dimensional materials: such as graphene and molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂), with atomic-level thickness, endow ultra-high frequency response and flexible electron potential.
3) Quantum dots and photonic crystals: By regulating the band structure through the quantum confinement effect, the multi-functional integration of light, electricity and heat is achieved.
4) Biosemiconductors: Self-assembling materials based on DNA or proteins, compatible with biological systems and electronic circuits.
5) Core driving forces: The demand for disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence, brain-computer interfaces, and room-temperature superconductivity is promoting the evolution of semiconductors towards intelligence and biocompatibility.

Iii. Opportunities for China's Semiconductor Industry: From "Following" to "Keeping Pace"

1) Technological breakthroughs and industrial chain layout

· Third-generation semiconductors: China has achieved mass production of 8-inch SiC substrates, and automotive-grade SiC MOSFETs have been successfully applied in automakers such as BYD.
· Fourth-generation semiconductors: Xi 'an University of Posts and Telecommunications and the 46th Research Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation have broken through the 8-inch gallium oxide epitaxial technology, entering the first echelon of the world.

2) Policy and capital support

· The country's 14th Five-Year Plan has listed the third-generation semiconductors as a key focus, and local governments have established industrial funds worth over 10 billion yuan.
· Among the top ten technological advancements in 2024, achievements such as 6-8-inch gallium nitride devices and gallium oxide transistors were selected, demonstrating a breakthrough trend across the entire industrial chain.

Iv. Challenges and the Path to Breaking Through
 

1) Technical bottleneck

· Material preparation: The yield of large-sized single crystal growth is low (for example, gallium oxide is prone to cracking), and the difficulty of defect control is high.
· Device reliability: The life test standards under high frequency and high voltage are not yet complete, and the certification cycle for automotive-grade devices is long.

2) Shortcomings in the industrial chain

· High-end equipment relies on imports: for instance, the domestic production rate of silicon carbide crystal growth furnaces is less than 20%.
· Weak application ecosystem: Downstream enterprises prefer imported components, and domestic substitution requires policy guidance.

3) Strategic development

1. Industry-university-research collaboration: Drawing on the "Third Generation Semiconductor Alliance" model, we will join hands with universities (such as Zhejiang University Ningbo Institute of Technology) and enterprises to tackle core technologies.
2. Differentiated competition: Focus on incremental markets such as new energy and quantum communication, and avoid direct confrontation with traditional giants.
3. Talent cultivation: Establish a special fund to attract top overseas scholars and promote the discipline construction of "Chip Science and Engineering".

From silicon to gallium oxide, the evolution of semiconductors is an epic of humanity breaking through physical limits. If China can seize the window of opportunity of the fourth-generation semiconductors and make forward-looking plans for the fifth-generation materials, it is expected to achieve a "lane change overtaking" in the global technological competition. As Academician Yang Deren said, "True innovation requires the courage to take uncharted paths." On this path, the resonance of policy, capital and technology will determine the vast ocean of China's semiconductor industry.

ZMSH, as a supplier in the semiconductor materials sector, has established a comprehensive presence across the full supply chain spanning from first-generation silicon/germanium wafers to fourth-generation gallium oxide and diamond thin films. The company focuses on enhancing mass production yield for third-generation semiconductor components such as silicon carbide substrates and gallium nitride epitaxial wafers, while advancing in parallel its technical reserves in crystal preparation for ultra-wide bandgap materials. Leveraging a vertically integrated R&D, crystal growth, and processing system, ZMSH delivers customized material solutions for 5G base stations, new energy power devices, and UV laser systems. The company has developed a graded production capacity structure ranging from 6-inch gallium arsenide wafers to 12-inch silicon carbide wafers, actively contributing to China's strategic goal of building a self-sufficient and controllable material foundation for next-generation semiconductor competitiveness.

ZMSH's 12inch sapphire wafer & 12inch SiC wafer:

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