About :
With a very rapid change in the geopolitics at the global scale, the key enabling technologies of IT and AI are heavily dependent on the advanced semiconductor materials that form a key component of the chip making industry. India and China are working at a war-footing for world leadership in this key technology of chip fabrication with miniaturization beyond the limits, which has been made possible with the advent of unconventional materials. As there is an information explosion from the intense R and D activity in this research hotspot, it is intended to organize a three-day workshop on “Advanced semiconductor materials for sustainable chip industry – Future of Electronics and IT” that will be useful for engineers, technologists, scientists and chemists
Aim :
To provide knowledge on the advanced semiconductor materials critical for sustaining the chip industry’s progress.
To address the need for unconventional materials as miniaturization pushes beyond physical limits.
To educate engineers, technologists, scientists, and chemists about this fast-changing research hotspot.
To discuss the materials driving the Future of Electronics and IT.
To offer an overview of the key materials shaping the industry, especially as Moore’s Law slows down.
Job Opportunity :
Objective :
To describe the status, advancements, and limitations of Silicon as the industry workhorse.
To explain the advantages and applications of Wide Bandgap materials like Silicon Carbide (SiC) and Gallium Nitride (GaN)
To detail the importance of III–V Compounds and Germanium for high-speed logic and optoelectronics
To introduce the potential and challenges of 2D Materials (Graphene, $\text{MoS}_2$) as post-silicon transistors
To explore emerging materials for advanced applications, including Diamond, Perovskites, and Quantum/Neuromorphic materials
Duration :3 Days (1.5 Hours/Day) @ IST 09:00 PM daily
Start Date :13/02/2026 - End Date :15/02/2026
Product Structure :
Day 1:
1. Silicon (Si) – Still the Workhorse
Status: Mainstream semiconductor for logic, memory, and power devices.
Advancements: Strained silicon, silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technologies.
Limitations: Scaling below 2 nm faces challenges like short-channel effects and leakage currents.
2. Silicon Carbide (SiC)
Applications: Power electronics (EVs, renewable energy, fast chargers, aerospace).
Advantages:
Industry Adoption: Tesla, Wolfspeed, Infineon, STMicroelectronics are scaling SiC fabs.
3. Gallium Nitride (GaN)
Applications: High-frequency, high-efficiency power devices (5G base stations, EVs, consumer electronics).
Advantages:
Trend: Gaining traction in fast-charging adapters and RF front-ends.
4. Germanium (Ge)
Applications: High-performance logic (Ge-on-Si transistors), photodetectors.
Advantages:
Emerging Use: Ge channel transistors for sub-5 nm logic.
Day 2:
5. III–V Compounds (GaAs, InP, InGaAs, InSb)
Applications: High-speed logic, optoelectronics (lasers, LEDs, solar cells, quantum computing).
Advantages:
Industry Use: InP & GaAs in telecom/datacom (lasers, modulators).
6. 2D Materials (Graphene, MoS₂, WS₂, h-BN, etc.)
Applications: Post-silicon transistors, flexible electronics, sensors.
Advantages:
Challenges: Integration with CMOS, large-scale manufacturing.
7. Diamond
Applications: Extreme power electronics, thermal management.
Advantages:
Status: Expensive, limited wafer quality – research stage.
8. Perovskites
Applications: Optoelectronics, photodetectors, solar cells.
Advantages:
Challenges: Stability and toxicity (lead-based).
Day 3:
9. Advanced Interconnect & Packaging Materials
Cobalt (Co), Ruthenium (Ru), Tungsten (W), Graphene/CNTs replacing copper for interconnect scaling at < 2 nm.
Fan-out wafer-level packaging (FOWLP) and chiplet interconnects require new dielectrics and conductive materials.
10. Quantum & Neuromorphic Materials
Topological insulators, superconductors, phase-change materials (GST, VO₂).
Applications: Quantum computing, brain-inspired chips, next-gen memory.
✅ Key Takeaway:
Silicon remains dominant for mass production.
SiC & GaN are transforming power electronics.
III–V and Ge are critical for logic + photonics.
2D materials & quantum materials represent the future beyond Moore’s Law.
Benefits to the participants :
Gain a comprehensive understanding of why advanced semiconductor materials are crucial due to geopolitical and scaling challenges.
Learn how SiC and GaN are transforming power electronics (EVs, 5G base stations, fast chargers).
Understand the role of Germanium (Ge) in emerging uses like Ge channel transistors for sub-5 nm logic.
Get insights into the applications of III–V Compounds (GaAs, InP) in high-speed logic and optoelectronics.
Discover the potential of 2D materials (e.g., Graphene) for flexible electronics and post-silicon transistors.
Learn about the advanced materials used in interconnects and packaging for scaling below 2 nm (Cobalt, Ruthenium).
Be exposed to materials driving the future, such as those for Quantum and Neuromorphic computing.
Outcomes :
Participants will be able to articulate why Moore’s Law slowing down necessitates the adoption of advanced semiconductor materials.
Participants will be able to distinguish the core applications and advantages of Silicon Carbide and Gallium Nitride.
Participants will understand the critical role of materials like InP and GaAs in telecom and datacom applications.
Participants will recognize the opportunities and challenges in integrating 2D materials into CMOS processes for future devices.
Participants will know the unique properties and research status of materials like Diamond for extreme power electronics.
Participants will have a foundational knowledge of the materials required for advanced packaging and interconnect scaling.
Participants will identify the materials that represent the future beyond Moore’s Law, such as topological insulators and phase-change materials.