What it is
GaN is why a laptop charger the size of a matchbox exists. It also cuts conversion losses in data centres and solar inverters, which matters at gigawatt scale.
The material bill
Scale it up →Quantities are per deviceindicative range
| Material | Low | High | Unit | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gallium critical Grams; the constraint is refining capacity, not tonnage. | trace | trace | kg | Substrate and epitaxial layer |
| Silicon critical | trace | trace | kg | Common substrate for GaN-on-Si |
Indicative range compiled from published technology studies and chemistry; verify against a manufacturer specification before use. Rows marked “trace” contain the material in quantities too small to state usefully as a mass — the constraint there is purity or supplier count, not tonnage.
The alternatives
Substitution is the most underrated force in materials. When a metal gets expensive or politically difficult, engineers design around it — and demand for a whole mine can evaporate.
Cadmium Telluride Thin-Film Module
A solar panel a few microns thick, using no silicon at all.
Crystalline Silicon Solar Module
The standard solar panel: silicon wafers, silver contact paste, glass and an aluminium frame.
Leading-Edge Logic Chip
The most advanced processors, built on wafers that pass through hundreds of process steps.