Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences

What Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences does

The Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences is a government research institute headquartered in Beijing, China and operating as a constituent unit of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Its mandate is fundamental and applied research across the semiconductor value chain, spanning semiconductor materials growth, device fabrication, and systems integration. Research programs cover terahertz technologies, neuromorphic computing, spintronic memory, perovskite photovoltaics, quantum cascade lasers, photodetectors, and bio/medical AI — with recent peer-reviewed milestones including 27.2% perovskite solar cell efficiency, a 150 mW electrically pumped THz topological laser, and ~95% handwritten digit recognition on a flexible MXene-based neuromorphic synapse.

The Institute hosts the State Key Laboratory for Superlattices and Microstructures, counts CAS and CAE academicians among its scientists, and pursues work in In-sensor polarimetric optoelectronic computing, mid-IR quantum cascade lasers, uncooled InAsSb MWIR barrier detectors, and wide-bandgap semiconductors. It does not sell commercial products; outputs are scientific publications (Nature Communications, National Science Review, IEEE Electron Device Letters), conference presentations, and technology transfer to industry through cooperative research agreements.

The Institute is funded through Chinese Academy of Sciences appropriations, National Key R&D Program grants, National Natural Science Foundation of China project funding, and the Strategic Pilot Project of CAS. Customer relationships are restricted to academic and government research institutions (primary segment) and technology industry partners for technology transfer (secondary segment). The entity has no disclosed revenue, no commercial pricing model, and no venture or public-equity ownership.

Name

Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Legal name

Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Website

https://english.semi.cas.cn

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences is a Beijing-headquartered government research institute under CAS conducting fundamental and applied research across semiconductor materials, devices, and systems — including terahertz lasers, neuromorphic computing, spintronic memory, perovskite photovoltaics, and quantum cascade lasers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Semiconductor Research

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715), Research and Development in Nanotechnology (541713)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHAAAJ

Public Research Universities with National Laboratories/Big Science Facilities

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Public Research Universities

Keywords

• Semiconductor materials research
• Optoelectronic device development
• Perovskite photovoltaic research
• Neuromorphic computing devices
• Terahertz laser technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Beijing

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Supply Chain

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Institute conducts fundamental and applied research in semiconductor science and technology, developing novel materials, devices, and systems spanning photovoltaics, optoelectronic devices, neuromorphic computing hardware, spintronics, terahertz lasers, quantum cascade lasers, and advanced photodetectors. Research outputs are disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, conferences, and technology-transfer collaborations rather than commercial product sales.

Product overview

The Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences is a research institution conducting advanced semiconductor research across multiple technology domains. The institute develops photonic devices (terahertz topological lasers, quantum cascade lasers, photodetectors), sensor technologies (strain sensors, refractive index sensors), energy systems (perovskite solar cells, flexible energy storage for neuromorphic computing), neuromorphic computing hardware (MXene-based synaptic systems, graphene synaptic FETs), and AI/ML technologies (DoctorGPT medical LLM, ANN-assisted photonic device design). These are research outputs published in peer-reviewed journals rather than commercial products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• High-Power Electrically Pumped Terahertz Topological Laser Semiconductor laser device based on surface metallic Dirac-vortex cavity design achieving topological lasing modes with enhanced output power of up to 150 mW peak power for THz spectral range applications. Research output published in peer-reviewed journals rather than sold as a commercial product.
• High Frequency Mid-Infrared Quantum Cascade Laser Directly modulated quantum cascade laser at ~8.5 µm wavelength integrated with grounded coplanar waveguide transmission line, achieving up to 23.9 GHz electrical modulation bandwidth for free-space optical communication applications. Research output published in peer-reviewed journals.
• Uncooled InAsSb-based Mid-Wave Infrared Barrier Detector High-speed mid-wave infrared photodetector using InAsSb/AlAsSb/AlSb-based nBn and pBn barrier structures grown on GaSb substrates, achieving 3 dB bandwidth of 2.62 GHz at room temperature for free-space optical communication. Research output published in peer-reviewed journals.
• Tunable Flexible MXene Energy Storage (FMES) System for Neuromorphic Computing Hardware neural network based on tunable flexible MXene energy storage system for neuromorphic computing, enabling artificial synaptic simulation with recognition accuracy of ~95% for handwritten digit classification. Research output published in National Science Review.
• Electrically-Driven Magnetization for Nonvolatile Memory and Computing Spintronic memory technology employing perpendicular effective magnetic field induced by asymmetric current spreading for external-field-free switching of perpendicular magnetization, supporting nonvolatile memory and computing research.
• Multi-Function All-Dielectric Metastructure Sensor Multi-function sensor based on silicon dimers achieving a Q-factor of 9352, temperature sensitivity of 60 pm/K, and refractive index sensitivity of 279.5 nm/RIU, supporting high-resolution refractive index and temperature sensing applications. Research output published in peer-reviewed journals.
• DoctorGPT Domain-Specific Medical Large Language Model Domain-specific large language model for Chinese medical question-answering based on Baichuan2 foundation model, trained on medical encyclopedic data and 2 million medical instruction-dialogue pairs for diagnostic queries and drug recommendations. Research output published in peer-reviewed journals.
• Ultra-Sensitive Film-Nanowire Double Layer Strain Sensor Flexible wearable strain sensor with film-nanowire double sensoring layer structure (FNDLS) achieving sensitivity of 70,945, 40% strain range, and response time under 129 ms for health monitoring and smart clothing applications. Research output published in peer-reviewed journals.

Quantifiable outcome

• 27.2% efficiency in perovskite solar cells approaching commercial viability
• +3 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability11 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Beijing Institute of TechnologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research in flexible energy storage devices for neuromorphic computing. WANG Lili from the Institute worked with SHEN Guozhen from Beijing Institute of Technology on FMES research published in National Science Review.
• Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research on tunable flexible MXene energy storage (FMES) system for neuromorphic computing. FAN Zhiyong from HKUST contributed to the hardware neural network research.
• Chinese Academy of SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization providing strategic direction, funding through National Natural Science Foundation of China, and access to national research programs including National Key R&D Program and Strategic Pilot Project.
• International Research PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational collaboration through dedicated International Cooperation section, including joint projects, researcher exchanges, and collaborative publications with global academic institutions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CEA-Leti: CEA-Leti is a French government research institute focused on micro and nano technologies, including semiconductors, photonics, and microsystems. Directly comparable as a national research institute operating in semiconductor materials, devices, and integration with both fundamental and applied research mandate.
• Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC): SRC is a US-based non-profit consortium that funds and coordinates university research in semiconductors and related technologies. Comparable as a research coordination organization driving semiconductor advancement, though focused on funding rather than conducting research directly.
• Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems (IPMS): Fraunhofer IPMS is a German applied research institute working on photonic microsystems, sensors, and semiconductor devices. Comparable as a national applied research organization conducting semiconductor device research with industry technology transfer mandate.
• Institute of Microelectronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences: A sister institute under the Chinese Academy of Sciences focused on microelectronics and integrated circuit research. Directly comparable as a CAS-affiliated semiconductor research institute with similar organizational structure, funding sources, and research mission.
• Imec: Imec is a leading semiconductor research center in Belgium conducting advanced R&D in nanoelectronics, photonics, and semiconductor technology. Highly comparable to Institute of Semiconductors as both serve as national/regional semiconductor research hubs with industry partnerships, advanced fabrication capabilities, and similar research domains.

Regional players

• Tsinghua University: Tsinghua University's Department of Electronic Engineering conducts leading semiconductor research in China. Comparable as a domestic Chinese research institution with semiconductor research strengths, though primarily an educational institution rather than dedicated research institute.
• University of Science and Technology of China (USTC): USTC is a leading Chinese research university with strong programs in physics, materials science, and semiconductor devices. Comparable as a Chinese research institution conducting semiconductor research with similar national strategic role and talent base.
• National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT): NICT is a Japanese national research institute conducting research in ICT including photonics and semiconductor technologies. Comparable as an Asia-based national research institute working in adjacent semiconductor and photonic device domains.

Emerging players

• Hong Kong University of Science and Technology: HKUST conducts semiconductor and flexible electronics research with notable work in MXene-based neuromorphic computing devices. Comparable as an existing collaboration partner with overlapping research in flexible electronics and neuromorphic systems.

Broad incumbents

• MIT Lincoln Laboratory: MIT Lincoln Laboratory is a US federally funded research and development center with semiconductor, photonics, and microelectronics research. Comparable as a national research facility conducting semiconductor R&D though with a broader defense and aerospace mandate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences