What does the world look like beyond silicon? On 23 May 2025, that question took centre stage at Innovation Fridays: Innovate Beyond Silicon, a platform that brought together researchers, technologists, and industry leaders to explore the materials and ideas shaping the future of microelectronics. Representing NSTIC (GaN), Prof Geok Ing Ng shared how RF GaN-on-Silicon research is driving scalable innovation for next-generation communication systems.

Exploring the Future Beyond Silicon

Innovation Fridays is designed to spark collaboration and creative thinking across the semiconductor ecosystem. The latest edition, themed “Innovate Beyond Silicon,” addressed the performance limitations of traditional silicon and explored how emerging materials such as wide bandgap semiconductors are enabling new frontiers in electronics.

From RF integrated circuit design and silicon photonics to hybrid packaging, the event provided a platform for open dialogue between academia and industry. These conversations are essential as we collectively rethink how technologies can support the next era of communications and computing.

NSTIC (GaN)’s participation contributed insights into what is direct band gap semiconductor research and how GaN’s properties are unlocking greater efficiency and scalability across applications.

RF GaN-on-Si: NSTIC’s Vision for Scalable Innovation

Prof Ng’s talk focused on the role of GaN-on-Si technologies in enabling high-performance, cost-effective, and scalable RF systems. These attributes are crucial for future 5G/6G networks, satellite communications, and power-efficient RF applications.

Key topics included:

• The trade-offs between GaN-on-Si and GaN-on-SiC
• Applications in massive MIMO, beamforming, and mmWave
• NSTIC’s full-stack R&D—from materials to system integration
• Opportunities for co-development with industry

The session sparked active discussion among participants, especially those working in RF design, IC packaging, and materials research.

Collaboration Across Domains

One of the strongest takeaways from the event was the convergence of technologies such as GaN, silicon photonics, and advanced packaging. This aligns closely with NSTIC (GaN)’s belief that meaningful innovation happens through collaboration, not isolation.

By connecting different domains of expertise, Innovation Fridays continues to foster the partnerships that accelerate the progress of deep-tech innovation. Such platforms are essential for building a more integrated and forward-looking semiconductor ecosystem.

Shaping What’s Next

We thank the organisers, attendees, and fellow presenters for a dynamic and forward-thinking event. The conversations and connections formed here will pave the way for future research collaborations and meaningful technology development.

As NSTIC (GaN) continues to advance GaN-based systems for communications, power, and emerging technologies, we look forward to working with partners across the value chain to shape the next generation of semiconductors and communication infrastructure.

Stay Connected

Thank you to everyone who joined us at Innovation Fridays. We’re inspired by your curiosity and commitment to innovation—and we look forward to more opportunities to innovate beyond silicon together.