DRDO's Solid State Physics Laboratory Develops Indigenous 4-Inch Silicon Carbide Wafers and Gallium Nitride HEMTs

In addition to defence, GaN/SiC technology also holds immense potential in electric vehicles, 5G/satellite communications, and renewable energy solutions.

The Solid State Physics Laboratory (SSPL), a premier facility under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has achieved a significant milestone in India’s semiconductor technology landscape by developing indigenous processes for producing 4-inch diameter Silicon Carbide (SiC) wafers. Additionally, SSPL has advanced capabilities in fabricating Gallium Nitride (GaN) High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) with power ratings up to 150W and Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits (MMICs) up to 40W, which can operate at frequencies as high as the X-band.

These cutting-edge SiC and GaN technologies are critical enablers for next-generation applications in the defence, aerospace, and clean energy sectors. The GaN-on-SiC technology developed by DRDO offers unparalleled benefits, including higher efficiency, reduced size and weight, and improved overall performance, which are essential for modern combat systems, RADARs, electronic warfare systems, and green energy applications.

The global defence and energy industries are increasingly demanding lighter, more efficient, and compact power supplies; GaN/SiC technology addresses these needs effectively, providing a robust foundation for advanced communications, intelligence, and reconnaissance operations as well as unmanned systems. In addition to defence, GaN/SiC technology also holds immense potential in electric vehicles, 5G/satellite communications, and renewable energy solutions.

Production capabilities for indigenous GaN on SiC-based MMICs have been established at GAETEC in Hyderabad, with these multifunctional MMICs already in use across a variety of high-performance applications in strategic defense systems, space exploration, aerospace engineering, and 5G/satellite communications infrastructure. This production capability supports a more self-reliant India in advanced electronics and semiconductor technology, an objective aligned with the government’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.

By focusing on the in-house development of GaN and SiC technology, DRDO is helping to reduce dependency on foreign semiconductor technologies, while positioning India as a competitive player in the semiconductor market. This innovation represents a major leap toward self-sufficiency in semiconductor and advanced electronics technologies, with long-term benefits not only for defence but also for environmentally sustainable technologies and emerging commercial sectors poised to shape the global market in the coming decades.