Over the past few decades, discrete transistors based on nonsilicon material regimes such as gallium arsenide and indium phosphide have continuously left their silicon counterparts lagging behind in terms of achievable operating frequency. These devices and the diverse industries that fabricate them are known collectively as compound semiconductors (aka III-V devices). While fabricators of such devices had never been shy in proclaiming III-V as “the technology of the future,” manufacturers of silicon-based devices occasionally take joy in adding: “and it always will be.” It seems that as soon as III-V devices begin to capture market share, the silicon industry always finds a way of tweaking that extra-needed speed out of CMOS… read more
