Cardiff University is proud to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Institute for Compound Semiconductors (ICS). Set up in 2015, ICS was established as part of the University’s £300m capital development plan and was funded by investment from the Welsh government, UK Research Infrastructure Fund (RPIF) and the European Regional Development Fund.
It provides an open access facility where academic researchers and industry can collaborate to develop commercially viable compound semiconductor technologies from prototype devices to integrated subsystems, driving both economic and societal impact.
By combining cutting-edge fabrication capabilities, leading academic expertise, and strong industry links, the ICS accelerates innovation, supports spinouts, and strengthens the UK’s position in compound semiconductor research and manufacturing.
Over the past decade, ICS has forged deep and productive relationships with industry. The Institute enjoys a close partnership with the Compound Semiconductor Centre to provide Europe’s first prototyping facility for CS innovations. This collaboration has been recognised nationally, with awards including ‘Best Collaboration’ at the Insider Media Made in the UK Awards and the ‘Collaboration’ prize at the Made in Wales Awards. The Institute’s work has underpinned projects worth millions of pounds in areas as diverse as telecommunications, sensing, healthcare, power electronics and quantum technologies.
The Institute’s role as a founding member of the South Wales Compound Semiconductor Cluster and the CSconnected programme, has amplified its reach. Bringing together academic excellence, targeted government support, and industry leadership, the cluster was a finalist for the prestigious Bhattacharyya Award in 2024, in recognition of its role in supporting more than 2,600 highly skilled jobs, attracting over £82 million in industrial R&D investment and contributing £381 million in gross value added to the economy each year.
In 2023 the ICS moved into its permanent home at the University’s Translational Research Hub, enjoying a purpose built 1500m2 cleanroom facility which has enabled the scale-up of compound semiconductor chip fabrication from 150mm to 200mm wafer diameters, crucial for industrial relevance and commercial viability, and allowing the Institute to build upon its impressive reputation for process flow development.
