Texas Tech Awarded $4.5 Million Grant to Propel Semiconductor Research Innovations

Texas Tech University, a leader in cutting-edge interdisciplinary research and advanced fabrication techniques, has secured a landmark $4.5 million grant dedicated to pioneering work on wide and ultrawide bandgap (UWBG) semiconductor materials. This significant financial support, awarded by the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund (TSIF), represents a decisive push toward expanding Texas Tech’s capacity in developing next-generation semiconductors designed for high-power, high-frequency electronics and optoelectronics applications.

This ambitious project, titled “Research and Development of Wide/Ultrawide Bandgap Semiconductor Materials, Devices and Applications,” demonstrates Texas Tech’s strategic commitment to pushing the boundaries of semiconductor science. UWBG semiconductors are recognized for their exceptional properties, including higher breakdown voltages, enhanced thermal conductivity, and superior electron mobility compared to conventional semiconductor materials like silicon. These attributes make them indispensable for applications demanding efficiency and performance in harsh operational environments.

The TSIF grants are orchestrated by the Texas CHIPS Office, a division within the Office of the Governor’s Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office. Established under the 2023 Texas CHIPS Act, funded by Gov. Greg Abbott, this initiative aims to bolster semiconductor innovation across the state. The act not only authorized the formation of TSIF but also established the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Consortium, a collaborative platform to accelerate industry-academic partnerships in this critical technology sector.

Leading the charge at Texas Tech is Stephen Bayne, vice president of National Security and executive director of the Critical Infrastructure Security Institute. Bayne spearheads this multidisciplinary team renowned for their expertise within the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering’s Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE). The collaboration includes Professors Ayrton Bernussi, Rui He, Ravi Joshi, Donald Lie, Hieu P. Nguyen, Assistant Professor Taewoo Kim from ECE, and Argenis Bilbao, Senior Director of the Global Laboratory for Energy Asset Management & Manufacturing. Their combined knowledge spans semiconductor physics, device fabrication, and system integration.

Over the next three years, this project will intensify efforts to harness and optimize UWBG semiconductor materials, such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium oxide (Ga2O3). These materials promise significant breakthroughs in power electronic devices, especially high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) tailored for demanding aerospace and defense applications. By focusing on material quality, device architecture, and thermal management, researchers aim to push operational limits, ensuring semiconductor components can withstand extreme temperatures, voltages, and radiation levels while maintaining performance integrity.

A key area of focus includes the fabrication and characterization of novel nanostructured light emitters and detectors. UWBG semiconductors allow optoelectronic devices to operate efficiently at ultraviolet wavelengths, enhancing their viability for communications, environmental sensing, and advanced imaging systems. Developing high-voltage semiconductor devices will also contribute to innovations in power conversion and radio frequency amplification, paving the way for broadband, high-efficiency power amplifiers and millimeter-wave components essential for next-generation wireless communication infrastructure.

Professor Hieu P. Nguyen emphasizes the dual challenge and opportunity inherent in this research: transforming groundbreaking scientific discoveries into practical, scalable manufacturing processes that can underpin robust supply chains and workforce development. “Our objective extends beyond laboratory successes,” Nguyen explains. “It is about cultivating an ecosystem that trains skilled technicians and engineers, fosters technology transfer to industry partners, and ultimately generates regional economic growth anchored in semiconductor innovation.”

This initiative aligns strategically with national priorities to secure and enhance semiconductor supply chains, directly supporting sectors that rely on UWBG semiconductors for critical functionality. In defense and aerospace, devices built on these materials improve system reliability in adverse conditions such as extreme temperature fluctuations and electromagnetic interference. These advances not only enhance performance but also extend mission-critical lifespan and reduce maintenance burdens.

Beyond technical innovation, the grant’s scope includes robust collaboration frameworks with government agencies and industry stakeholders to accelerate commercialization pathways. By bridging theoretical research with applied development, Texas Tech aims to transition UWBG semiconductor technologies from prototype demonstrations to market-ready solutions. This journey also includes intellectual property generation and startup incubation, creating economic impact and technology leadership on both state and national levels.

In consolidating Texas Tech’s position in the semiconductor arena, this project complements existing infrastructure and expands fabrication capabilities required for device prototyping and testing. Fabrication advances include molecular beam epitaxy and metal-organic chemical vapor deposition techniques optimized for UWBG crystals, critical to achieving high crystalline quality and device reproducibility. These sophisticated manufacturing processes underpin efforts to create semiconductor devices with superior electron transport characteristics and minimal defect densities.

The research significance extends to telecommunications, where high-frequency transistors and amplifiers built from UWBG materials offer next-generation performance for 5G and nascent 6G networks. By improving power efficiency and bandwidth capabilities, these semiconductors will address increasing global demand for faster data transmission and lower latency communication, essential for expanding connectivity in urban and remote environments alike.

Stephen Bayne concludes that this funding represents more than an opportunity for technical advancement—it is a commitment to securing Texas’s and the nation’s semiconductor future. “Our work will not only produce new materials and devices but also cultivate human capital and strategic partnerships that place Texas at the forefront of a rapidly evolving semiconductor ecosystem.”

This major investment marks a milestone for Texas Tech and highlights the importance of state-supported innovation initiatives in competitive high-tech fields. With wide and ultrawide bandgap semiconductor technologies promising fundamental advances across electronics, photonics, and power systems, this research heralds a transformative era poised to reshape the technological landscape locally and globally.