HK set for first chip line featuring rare metal

Jamie Zhang and Themis Qi

Hong Kong is set to see its first research and development center and production line for semiconductors made from a rare material, gallium, of which dominant producer China introduced drastic export curbs this year amid escalating trade tensions.

Hong Kong-based MassPhoton is set to establish its first global R&D center into gallium nitride epitaxy process technology for third-generation semiconductors at Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks.

Epitaxial wafer production is the upstream process in the chip semiconductor industry.

As a new-generation semiconductor material, gallium nitride has high conversion efficiency and thermal conductivity and low loss compared to silicon carbide devices.

Demand for third-generation gallium nitride in the mainland market is mainly for electric vehicle parts, semiconductors and medical devices.

MassPhoton chief executive Liao Yitao said Hong Kong has done much better in patent protection and that its government also provides tax incentives in support of industrial development.

As such, Hong Kong is an excellent choice as a semiconductor R&D and manufacturing center.

MassPhoton expects to invest HK$200 million in setting up its R&D team.

The assembly line in Hong Kong currently only produces raw gallium nitride tablets.

Liao said the company will also be flexible in adjusting its targets in the future.

The signing ceremony to set up a pilot line launch in Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks was attended by Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong and other officials.