Turkey’s First Chip Factory: AB MicroNano GE 301 – Science Technology & Society Turkey’s First Chip Factory: AB MicroNano

Aselsan/Bilkent MicroNano $30 billion investment One of 5 factories that can do mass production Production started in 2016 Defense, Space and Communication Industries

Production Lines: 5G cellular networks Spacecraft circuits Power Electronics Electronic Warfare

Timeline: Semiconductor History 1947 - Transistor Invented at Bell Labs 1957 - Silicon based IC fabrication began (Fairchild Semiconductor Co.) 1964 – 1st Commercial Metal-Ox-Semiconductor (MOS) IC Introduced 1993 – 1st GaN Transistors (GaN MESFET) 2010 - New method for Creating GaN Crystals (enhance-mode trans) 2014 - GaN chip production cost falls below Silicon based chips 2016 - Google establishes subsidiary for GaN based driverless cars 2015 - AB MicroNano founded in Turkey

What is GaN? Gallium nitride (GaN) is a binary III/V direct bandgap semiconductor commonly used in light-emitting diodes since the 1990s. The compound is a very hard material that has a Wurtzite crystal structure. Its wide band gap of 3.4 eV affords it special properties for applications in optoelectronic, high-power and high-frequency devices. For example, GaN is the substrate which makes violet (405 nm) laser diodes possible, without use of nonlinear optical frequency- doubling.

Why GaN Semiconductors? Energy Efficient Power Electronics High speed Processes Reduce physical dimensions Durability Space radiation Heat Physical Stress

Turkey’s First Chip Factory What are the socio-technical factors that lead to a paradigm shift in scientific and industrial development of semiconductors? Turkey’s First Chip Factory

Research Approach Research Done STS Theories Used History & Technological Momentum of Silicon Semiconductors GaN Semiconductor Uses & Market Interview with Prof. Dr. Ekmel Özbay - Director of AB MicroNano Technological Momentum Paradigm Shift Actor Network Theory Moore’s Law

Key points: Interview GaN is already used in the industry. LEDs Car collision Prevention Systems (Expensive, 60 GHz processing) Power Transmission Networks Physical Advantages over Silicon: Efficiency over 95 % (Silicon: 80 %) Durable in extreme conditions Smaller chip size Government Restrictions: Restricted importing. Cannot export products using GaN chips. No missile production over range of 150 km. Cannot resell, reverse engineer, improve the product.

Key points Cont. Comments on Practical Use: Other notes: All sorts of Power Electronics, removes transformers 5G network currently being developed Radar systems being built for Aselsan Energy loss in transmission minimized Other notes: Supplements silicon based circuits IP slows down the momentum of the development, but we can secure the edge in industry. GaN is not good in some areas.

Key points: GaN Market Locally produced chips creates an entire market for GaN based products. Market includes driverless cars, military technology and mobile devices. Expected to boost the economy in the near future. Products can be exported to improve foreign exchange.

Conclusion

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