gallium arsenide

noun

: a synthetic compound GaAs used especially as a semiconducting material

Examples of gallium arsenide in a Sentence

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The system is also compatible with high-performance photovoltaic cells, like gallium arsenide (GaAs), a compound semiconductor that boosts overall power conversion. Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2025 That photonic cold plate will largely be made up of a semiconductor material called gallium arsenide. New Atlas, 13 Apr. 2025 The increase is attributed to higher demand for indium phosphide (InP) and gallium arsenide (GaAs) substrates. Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 14 Mar. 2025 Ready to hover The solar power cells were made of a thin film of gallium arsenide, which is far more expensive than other photovoltaic materials, but offers a higher efficiency (30 percent conversion compared to numbers that are typically in the mid-20s). John Timmer, Ars Technica, 17 July 2024 See All Example Sentences for gallium arsenide

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1961, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gallium arsenide was circa 1961

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Cite this Entry

“Gallium arsenide.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gallium%20arsenide. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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