gallium arsenide

American  

noun

Chemistry.

1. a crystalline and highly toxic semiconductor, GaAs, used in light-emitting diodes, lasers, and electronic devices.

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gallium arsenide Scientific  

1. A dark-gray crystalline compound used in transistors, solar cells, and semiconductor lasers. Chemical formula: GaAs.

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Etymology

Origin of gallium arsenide

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

gallium arsenide

"There is a dramatic change in the lattice when you shine light on it, a unique phenomenon that you don't see with silicon or gallium arsenide," Leite said.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 31, 2026

Microsoft researchers began to look for these fractional charges in samples of gallium arsenide, a compound often used in solar cells.

From Science Magazine ● Dec. 20, 2023

Microgravity Laboratory onboard the space shuttle Columbia, and there astronauts produced two crystals of a material called gallium arsenide.

From Scientific American ● Oct. 23, 2023

A limited number of companies around the world produce gallium arsenide at the purity needed for use in electronics, according to the CRMA.

From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2023

Red LEDs and red light sensors are another major use for gallium arsenide.

From Reuters ● Jul. 11, 2023