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

The Dortmund physicists led by Dr. Alex Greilich have now designed a special crystal made of indium gallium arsenide, in which the nuclear spins act as a reservoir for the time crystal.

From Science Daily • Feb. 1, 2024

At the nearby UCSB, Young is taking a wholly different route to Majorana quasiparticles, one that revives the fractional quantum Hall effect, but in graphene instead of gallium arsenide.

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