Indium gallium arsenide InGaAs
In0.53Ga0.47As, indium gallium arsenide lattice-matched to indium phosphide (InP)
Indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) is a III-V semiconductor alloy.
Evidence level
5 of 5
Flown or field-proven
- 0Predicted only. No one has made it, or no measurement exists.
- 1Calculated. Only calculated or predicted values from sources.
- 2Lab-measured. Measured properties with their conditions stated.
- 3Space-relevant tests. Measured in conditions relevant to space, such as vacuum or atomic oxygen.
- 4Ground-qualified. Qualified for an application on the ground.
- 5Flown or field-proven. Flight or field results exist.
Band gap
0.75 eV
Electron transport
10000 cm²/(V·s)
Recipe, share of the weight
- In not statedIndium
- Ga not statedGallium
- As not statedArsenic
Best for
Short-wave infrared photodiodes and fibre-optic receivers that need a response from 0.9 μm to 1.7 μm (NASA 2001 report; Wikipedia)
Weakest at
Space heritage is thin: the one flight result found is an 18-month ISS exposure with no published before-and-after numbers, and no radiation dose data were found
Risk at a glance
- People None found. No GHS hazard class found for InGaAs
- If it fails No data. No failure risks recorded
- Corrosion Low. The company says its InGaAs photodiodes looked intact after 18 months in orbit, but no numbers were published.
Quick facts: InGaAs
| Property | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Thermal expansion (CTE) | 5.66 ppm/K | 1 sourced value |
What is the coefficient of thermal expansion of Indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs)?
Indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) has a coefficient of thermal expansion of 5.66 ppm/K. The source and test conditions are listed in the properties table on this page.
What is Indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) used for?
Uses recorded in the sources include Short-wave infrared focal-plane array for low light level imaging; High-speed photodiode module on the ISS (MISSE 7); Fibre-optic telecommunications photodetector.
Why it exists
Indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) is a semiconductor alloy used mainly as a photodetector for short-wave infrared light. The composition In0.53Ga0.47As is lattice-matched to indium phosphide (InP), so it can be grown on InP substrates with little strain. It has a band gap of 0.75 eV at 295 K and a cut-off wavelength of 1.68 μm at 295 K, per Wikipedia, and a NASA 2001 report gives a 1.7 μm long-wavelength cut-off for its focal-plane array. The NASA 2001 abstract gives its spectral sensitivity range as 0.9 μm to 1.7 μm at 290 K.
Where it's used
Fibre-optic telecommunications
Wikipedia describes InGaAs photodiodes as the principal use of the alloy, as fast and sensitive photodetectors for fibre-optic telecommunications. The 2026 USGS indium chapter notes that indium phosphide substrates are used in high-speed photodetectors and laser diodes for optical communications.
Imaging in low light
A 2001 NASA report describes an InGaAs visible/SWIR focal-plane array for low light level imaging, sensitive from 0.9 μm to 1.7 μm at 290 K.
On the International Space Station
A high-speed InGaAs photodiode module spent 18 months on the ISS as part of MISSE 7. The 2017 paper reports a -3 dB bandwidth of 16.8 GHz for the module.
Recipe
In0.53Ga0.47As, indium gallium arsenide lattice-matched to indium phosphide (InP); general alloy notation GaxIn1-xAs
In0.53Ga0.47As is a ternary alloy of indium, gallium and arsenic. Per the Wikipedia composition, indium and gallium share the group III sites in the ratio 0.53 to 0.47, and each formula unit has one arsenic atom. The composition is lattice-matched to indium phosphide (InP).
| Ingredient | Share of the weight | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Indium In | not stated | Group III element; the 0.53 share is the indium fraction in the lattice-matched composition the page uses. |
| Gallium Ga | not stated | Group III element; the 0.47 share is the gallium fraction in the same composition. |
| Arsenic As | not stated | Group V element; the alloy notation GaxIn1-xAs has one arsenic atom per formula unit. |
Weight shares are as printed in the sources.
What it can do
Band gap
0.75 eV
measured
In0.53Ga0.47As has a band gap of 0.75 eV at 295 K, per the Wikipedia properties table. The same page gives the absorption edge at the same composition as 0.75 eV.
Response range
The NASA 2001 abstract gives a spectral sensitivity range of 0.9 μm to 1.7 μm at 290 K for an InGaAs/InP focal-plane array. The Wikipedia page gives a cut-off wavelength of 1.68 μm at 295 K for the same alloy.
Bandwidth
A 2017 conference abstract reports a -3 dB bandwidth of 16.8 GHz for the InGaAs photodiode module flown on the ISS. A Discovery Semiconductors receiver lists a bandwidth up to 18 GHz at 2.2 μm, per its product title.
Electron transport
10000 cm²/(V·s)
measured
The electron mobility of reasonably pure Ga0.47In0.53As is printed as 10,000 cm2/(V·s) at 295 K. The hole mobility in the same table is 250 cm2/(V·s) at 295 K.
How it compares
InGaAs is a short-wave infrared detector material, with a cut-off of 1.68 μm at 295 K (Wikipedia) and 1.7 μm (NASA 2001 abstract). The sources read for this profile give its band gap, mobility and cut-off values, but no figures for other materials, so no ranking against them is claimed here. The table below lists the three benchmarks to compare.
The same measurements for each material, so you can compare them. Each row names the key condition under the value; the full conditions and methods are in the numbered notes under Technical details. Compare every grade in the family.
| Measurement | InGaAs |
|---|---|
| Other measurements | |
| Band gap, In0.53Ga0.47As | 0.75 eV1 |
| Lattice parameter, In0.53Ga0.47As | 5.869 Å2 |
| Electron mobility, reasonably pure Ga0.47In0.53As | 10000 cm²/(V·s)3 |
| Hole mobility, In0.53Ga0.47As | 250 cm²/(V·s)4 |
| Electron effective mass, relative to free electron massValue printed in the properties table (unitless) | 0.041 -5 |
| Cut-off wavelength, In0.53Ga0.47As | 1.68 μm6 |
| Thermal expansion coefficient, GaInAs | 5.66 ppm/K7 |
Why choose it, and why not
Good for
- Short-wave infrared detection from 0.9 μm to 1.7 μm, per the NASA 2001 abstract.
- Fibre-optic telecommunications photodetectors, the main use the Wikipedia page names for the alloy.
Watch out for
- Flight heritage is one 18-month ISS exposure with no published pre-flight comparison.
- The two cut-off figures differ slightly (1.68 μm and 1.7 μm), so quote the source and condition with each value.
- No radiation dose, vacuum or thermal-vacuum data were found beyond that one flight.
InGaAs is a well-documented short-wave infrared detector material with a flight result on the ISS, but the sources read give no before-and-after numbers for that flight.
Technical details
For scientists and researchers. Everything above comes from the record below: every number with its method, its conditions and its source.
Cell-level benchmarks
Values for finished cells. These vary by manufacturer, so read the conditions in the notes. Compare every grade in the family.
| Measurement | InGaAs |
|---|---|
| Physical and electrical | |
| Reverse saturation current density, InGaAs/InP photodiode | < 1×10^-8 A/cm²8 |
| Temperature behavior | |
| Temperature cycling range in orbit, InGaAs photodiode moduleRange printed in the 2017 conference abstract | -157 to 121 °C |
| Other measurements | |
| Shunt resistance-area product, InGaAs/InP photodiode | > 1×10^6 ohm cm²9 |
| Detectivity (D*), InGaAs photodiode | > 1×10^14 cm Hz^1/2 W^-110 |
| Spectral sensitivity range, InGaAs focal-plane arrayRange printed in the abstract | 0.9 to 1.7 μm11 |
| Quantum efficiency at 0.5 μm | > 15 %12 |
| -3 dB bandwidth, InGaAs photodiode module flown on the ISS | 16.8 GHz13 |
| Time on the ISS, InGaAs photodiode module (MISSE 7) | 18 months14 |
| Bandwidth up to, DSC-R212 2.2 μm SWIR InGaAs receiver | < 18 GHz15 |
| Bandwidth up to, DSC2-100S 2.2 μm InGaAs photodiode | < 5 GHz16 |
Notes
The method, full conditions and any caveat for the numbered rows above.
| # | Measurement | Method | Conditions | Caveat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Band gap, In0.53Ga0.47As | Value printed in the properties table of the Wikipedia article | composition In0.53Ga0.47As, lattice-matched to InPtemperature 295 K (table heading 'Value at 295 K') | — |
| 2 | Lattice parameter, In0.53Ga0.47As | Value printed in the properties table of the Wikipedia article | composition In0.53Ga0.47As, lattice-matched to InPtemperature 295 K (table heading 'Value at 295 K') | — |
| 3 | Electron mobility, reasonably pure Ga0.47In0.53As | Printed as 10,000 cm2·V−1·s−1 in the properties table; the page's text says 'approaches 10×10^3'. Unit written here as cm2/(V·s) to match the form used on this site. | composition Ga0.47In0.53Astemperature 295 Kpurity reasonably pure, as the page says | — |
| 4 | Hole mobility, In0.53Ga0.47As | Printed as 250 cm2·V−1·s−1 in the properties table; unit written as cm2/(V·s) | composition In0.53Ga0.47As, lattice-matched to InPtemperature 295 K | — |
| 5 | Electron effective mass, relative to free electron mass | — | composition In0.53Ga0.47Astemperature 295 Kbasis m*/m0, unitless as printed | — |
| 6 | Cut-off wavelength, In0.53Ga0.47As | Value printed in the Materials synthesis section; the Wikipedia figure differs slightly from the NASA 2001 figure of 1.7 μm, and both are kept | composition In0.53Ga0.47Astemperature 295 Knote the page gives the absorption edge as 0.75 eV for the same composition | — |
| 7 | Thermal expansion coefficient, GaInAs | Printed as 5.66×10−6 K−1 in the FCC lattice parameter section. 10⁻⁶ K⁻¹ is the same unit as ppm/K, so the number is copied unchanged. | composition GaInAs (as the page names it)temperature not stated on the pageunit in source 5.66×10−6 K−1 | — |
| 8 | Reverse saturation current density, InGaAs/InP photodiode | Upper bound printed in the abstract as 'JD < 10(exp -8) A/sq cm' | composition In(.53)Ga(.47)As/InPtemperature 290 Kdevice photodiode structure described in the abstract | — |
| 9 | Shunt resistance-area product, InGaAs/InP photodiode | Lower bound printed in the abstract as 'RoA > 10(exp 6) omega-sq cm' | composition In(.53)Ga(.47)As/InPtemperature 290 K | — |
| 10 | Detectivity (D*), InGaAs photodiode | Lower bound printed in the abstract as 'greater than 10(exp 14) cm-(square root of Hz/W)' | temperature 290 Kbasis D* as printed in the abstract | — |
| 11 | Spectral sensitivity range, InGaAs focal-plane array | — | composition In(.53)Ga(.47)As/InPtemperature not stated in the abstractnote the short-wave cut-on is attributed in the abstract to absorption in the InP substrate | — |
| 12 | Quantum efficiency at 0.5 μm | Lower bound printed in the abstract as 'greater than 15% quantum efficiency at 0.5 micrometers' | wavelength 0.5 μmcomposition InGaAs focal-plane array described in the abstracttemperature not stated in the abstract | — |
| 13 | -3 dB bandwidth, InGaAs photodiode module flown on the ISS | Value printed in the 2017 conference abstract. The abstract gives no pre-flight value to compare with; the post-flight test is shown in its Fig. 1a, which gives no numbers in the text. | device high-speed InGaAs photodiode module flown on the ISS (MISSE 7)measurement -3 dB bandwidth as printed in the abstract | — |
| 14 | Time on the ISS, InGaAs photodiode module (MISSE 7) | Duration printed in the 2017 conference abstract and in the 2012 article; the article gives launch and return dates | launch 16 November 2009return 1 June 2011mission MISSE 7 | — |
| 15 | Bandwidth up to, DSC-R212 2.2 μm SWIR InGaAs receiver | Bandwidth printed in the product title on the manufacturer's featured-products list | product DSC-R212, 2.2 Micron SWIR InGaAs Linear AGC Balanced Optical Receiverwavelength 2.2 μm | — |
| 16 | Bandwidth up to, DSC2-100S 2.2 μm InGaAs photodiode | Bandwidth printed in the product title on the manufacturer's featured-products list (printed as 'up to 5 Ghz') | product DSC2-100S, 2.2 Micron Wavelength InGaAs Photodiodewavelength 2.2 μm | — |
Corrosion and compatibility
What happens when it meets other materials and environments.
| Environment | Concern | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Low Earth orbit on the ISS (MISSE 7 external exposure), with UV, radiation and thermal cycling | low | The company says its InGaAs photodiodes looked intact after 18 months in orbit, but no numbers were published.1 |
| # | Environment | Details | Test conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low Earth orbit on the ISS (MISSE 7 external exposure), with UV, radiation and thermal cycling | The CEO of Discovery Semiconductors said preliminary analysis showed the photodiodes intact under UV, radiation and thermal cycling. The article gives no before-and-after measurement, and the electro-optical characteristics were still to be studied after the article was written. | exposure 18 months on the ISS, launched 16 November 2009, returned 1 June 2011basis qualitative statement by the company's CEO, no measured values; rating is assigned from that wording |
Risks and side effects
Hazards to people, what happens when a cell overheats, and how the material is handled and stored.
For people
No supplier safety data sheet or GHS classification for InGaAs was read. The one toxicity source is a set of rodent exposure levels from studies of InP and GaAs.
- Exposure studies
- Wikipedia gives the National Toxicology Program rodent exposure levels for InP and GaAs (rats 0.01, 0.1 or 1.0 mg/m3; mice 0.1, 0.5 or 1.0 mg/m3). These are study design values, not hazard classes.
- Dust
- No dust or inhalation hazard statement for InGaAs was found in the sources read.
In orbit
The only flight result found is one 18-month exposure of a photodiode module on the ISS.
- Flight
- A high-speed InGaAs photodiode module was on the ISS for 18 months, launched on 16 November 2009 and returned on 1 June 2011 (MISSE 7).
- Thermal cycling
- The module was cycled between -157 and +121 degC, 16 times a day, according to the 2017 conference abstract.
- Result
- The company's CEO said preliminary analysis showed the photodiodes intact after UV, radiation and thermal cycling. The article prints no numbers for that result.
Test details
The original wording and numbers from the sources, for readers who want them.
Supply and geography
How common the raw materials are and where they come from.
Indium
- Top producers (2025)
- China 70%
- Critical mineral lists
- US: listed, EU: not listed
- Recycling
- USGS: indium is most commonly recovered from ITO scrap in Japan and the Republic of Korea. Data on the quantity recovered were not available.
- Substitutes
- USGS: substitutes for ITO coatings include antimony tin oxide, carbon nanotubes, PEDOT and silver nanowires (these are display and touch-screen uses, not InGaAs).
Gallium
- Top producers (2025)
- China 99%
- Critical mineral lists
- US: listed, EU: listed
- Recycling
- USGS: old scrap is not recovered. New scrap from GaAs device manufacture is reprocessed to recover high-purity gallium at one facility in New York.
Documents
Datasheets, safety data sheets, papers and standards you can open.
Full record
The complete spore, as stored. Free to reuse under CC-BY-4.0. Images keep the licence shown with each one.
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spore: profile
id: indium-gallium-arsenide
spore_version: 0.2
family: semiconductor-materials
name: Indium gallium arsenide
abbreviation: InGaAs
role: photodetector
category: semiconductors
type: inp
summary: |
Indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) is a III-V semiconductor alloy. The Wikipedia composition In0.53Ga0.47As is lattice-matched to indium phosphide (InP), with a band gap of 0.75 eV and a lattice constant of 5.869 Å at 295 K. A 2001 NASA report describes an In(.53)Ga(.47)As/InP focal-plane array that responds from 0.9 μm to 1.7 μm at 290 K. A high-speed InGaAs photodiode module from Discovery Semiconductors spent 18 months on the International Space Station (MISSE 7, 16 November 2009 to 1 June 2011). Its 2017 conference abstract reports a -3 dB bandwidth of 16.8 GHz, but no pre-flight figure is printed in any source read for this profile.
best_for: Short-wave infrared photodiodes and fibre-optic receivers that need a response from 0.9 μm to 1.7 μm (NASA 2001 report; Wikipedia)
weakest_at: 'Space heritage is thin: the one flight result found is an 18-month ISS exposure with no published before-and-after numbers, and no radiation dose data were found'
identity:
formula: In0.53Ga0.47As, indium gallium arsenide lattice-matched to indium phosphide (InP); general alloy notation GaxIn1-xAs
source: wiki-ingaas
where: Section 2 (Materials synthesis) and Section 4.1 (Properties table), composition stated for Ga0.47In0.53As; no CAS number, space group or density printed on the page
tags:
environments:
- low-earth-orbit
stresses:
- uv-exposure
- radiation
- thermal-cycling
applications:
- optics-and-cameras
- electronics-and-chips
- solar-arrays
properties:
- benchmark: band_gap
label: Band gap, In0.53Ga0.47As
value: 0.75
unit: eV
scope: material
conditions:
composition: In0.53Ga0.47As, lattice-matched to InP
temperature: 295 K (table heading 'Value at 295 K')
method: Value printed in the properties table of the Wikipedia article
status: ground
source: wiki-ingaas
where: Section 4.1 (Properties table), row Band Gap; repeated in Section 4.3 (Bandgap energy)
- benchmark: lattice_constant
label: Lattice parameter, In0.53Ga0.47As
value: 5.869
unit: Å
scope: material
conditions:
composition: In0.53Ga0.47As, lattice-matched to InP
temperature: 295 K (table heading 'Value at 295 K')
method: Value printed in the properties table of the Wikipedia article
status: ground
source: wiki-ingaas
where: Section 4.1 (Properties table), row Lattice Parameter
- benchmark: electron_mobility
label: Electron mobility, reasonably pure Ga0.47In0.53As
value: 10000
unit: cm2/(V·s)
scope: material
conditions:
composition: Ga0.47In0.53As
temperature: 295 K
purity: reasonably pure, as the page says
method: Printed as 10,000 cm2·V−1·s−1 in the properties table; the page's text says 'approaches 10×10^3'. Unit written here as cm2/(V·s) to match the form used on this site.
status: ground
source: wiki-ingaas
where: Section 4.1 (Properties table), row Electron mobility; Section 4.5 (Mobility of electrons and holes)
- benchmark: hole_mobility
label: Hole mobility, In0.53Ga0.47As
value: 250
unit: cm2/(V·s)
scope: material
conditions:
composition: In0.53Ga0.47As, lattice-matched to InP
temperature: 295 K
method: Printed as 250 cm2·V−1·s−1 in the properties table; unit written as cm2/(V·s)
status: ground
source: wiki-ingaas
where: Section 4.1 (Properties table), row Hole mobility
- benchmark: electron_effective_mass
label: Electron effective mass, relative to free electron mass
value: 0.041
unit: '-'
scope: material
conditions:
composition: In0.53Ga0.47As
temperature: 295 K
basis: m*/m0, unitless as printed
method: Value printed in the properties table (unitless)
status: ground
source: wiki-ingaas
where: Section 4.1 (Properties table), row Electron effective mass; Section 4.4 (Effective mass)
- benchmark: cutoff_wavelength
label: Cut-off wavelength, In0.53Ga0.47As
value: 1.68
unit: μm
scope: material
conditions:
composition: In0.53Ga0.47As
temperature: 295 K
note: the page gives the absorption edge as 0.75 eV for the same composition
method: Value printed in the Materials synthesis section; the Wikipedia figure differs slightly from the NASA 2001 figure of 1.7 μm, and both are kept
status: ground
source: wiki-ingaas
where: Section 2 (Materials synthesis), first table row
- benchmark: cte
label: Thermal expansion coefficient, GaInAs
value: 5.66
unit: ppm/K
scope: material
conditions:
composition: GaInAs (as the page names it)
temperature: not stated on the page
unit_in_source: 5.66×10−6 K−1
method: Printed as 5.66×10−6 K−1 in the FCC lattice parameter section. 10⁻⁶ K⁻¹ is the same unit as ppm/K, so the number is copied unchanged.
status: ground
source: wiki-ingaas
where: Section 4.2 (FCC lattice parameter), first bullet
- benchmark: reverse_saturation_current_density
label: Reverse saturation current density, InGaAs/InP photodiode
value: 1.e-8
bound: upper
unit: A/cm2
scope: cell
conditions:
composition: In(.53)Ga(.47)As/InP
temperature: 290 K
device: photodiode structure described in the abstract
method: Upper bound printed in the abstract as 'JD < 10(exp -8) A/sq cm'
status: ground
source: ntrs-2001
where: Abstract
- benchmark: shunt_resistance_area_product
label: Shunt resistance-area product, InGaAs/InP photodiode
value: 1000000
bound: lower
unit: ohm cm2
scope: cell
conditions:
composition: In(.53)Ga(.47)As/InP
temperature: 290 K
method: Lower bound printed in the abstract as 'RoA > 10(exp 6) omega-sq cm'
status: ground
source: ntrs-2001
where: Abstract
- benchmark: detectivity
label: Detectivity (D*), InGaAs photodiode
value: 100000000000000
bound: lower
unit: cm Hz^1/2 W^-1
scope: cell
conditions:
temperature: 290 K
basis: D* as printed in the abstract
method: Lower bound printed in the abstract as 'greater than 10(exp 14) cm-(square root of Hz/W)'
status: ground
source: ntrs-2001
where: Abstract
- benchmark: spectral_range
label: Spectral sensitivity range, InGaAs focal-plane array
value: 0.9
value_high: 1.7
bound: range
unit: μm
scope: cell
conditions:
composition: In(.53)Ga(.47)As/InP
temperature: not stated in the abstract
note: the short-wave cut-on is attributed in the abstract to absorption in the InP substrate
method: Range printed in the abstract
status: ground
source: ntrs-2001
where: Abstract
- benchmark: quantum_efficiency
label: Quantum efficiency at 0.5 μm
value: 15
bound: lower
unit: '%'
scope: cell
conditions:
wavelength: 0.5 μm
composition: InGaAs focal-plane array described in the abstract
temperature: not stated in the abstract
method: Lower bound printed in the abstract as 'greater than 15% quantum efficiency at 0.5 micrometers'
status: ground
source: ntrs-2001
where: Abstract
- benchmark: bandwidth_3db
label: '-3 dB bandwidth, InGaAs photodiode module flown on the ISS'
value: 16.8
unit: GHz
scope: cell
conditions:
device: high-speed InGaAs photodiode module flown on the ISS (MISSE 7)
measurement: '-3 dB bandwidth as printed in the abstract'
method: Value printed in the 2017 conference abstract. The abstract gives no pre-flight value to compare with; the post-flight test is shown in its Fig. 1a, which gives no numbers in the text.
status: flight
source: ntrs-2017
where: Abstract
- benchmark: temperature_cycling_range
label: Temperature cycling range in orbit, InGaAs photodiode module
value: -157
value_high: 121
bound: range
unit: degC
scope: cell
conditions:
device: high-speed InGaAs photodiode module on the ISS
cycling_frequency: 16 times a day
method: Range printed in the 2017 conference abstract
status: flight
source: ntrs-2017
where: Abstract
- benchmark: flight_duration
label: Time on the ISS, InGaAs photodiode module (MISSE 7)
value: 18
unit: months
scope: cell
conditions:
launch: 16 November 2009
return: 1 June 2011
mission: MISSE 7
method: Duration printed in the 2017 conference abstract and in the 2012 article; the article gives launch and return dates
status: flight
source: ntrs-2017
where: Abstract; article body (laserfocusworld, 2012)
- benchmark: bandwidth_3db
label: Bandwidth up to, DSC-R212 2.2 μm SWIR InGaAs receiver
value: 18
bound: upper
unit: GHz
scope: cell
conditions:
product: DSC-R212, 2.2 Micron SWIR InGaAs Linear AGC Balanced Optical Receiver
wavelength: 2.2 μm
method: Bandwidth printed in the product title on the manufacturer's featured-products list
status: ground
source: discovery-products
where: 'Featured Products: 2 Micron InGaAs Photodiodes & Photoreceivers, DSC-R212 entry'
- benchmark: bandwidth_3db
label: Bandwidth up to, DSC2-100S 2.2 μm InGaAs photodiode
value: 5
bound: upper
unit: GHz
scope: cell
conditions:
product: DSC2-100S, 2.2 Micron Wavelength InGaAs Photodiode
wavelength: 2.2 μm
method: Bandwidth printed in the product title on the manufacturer's featured-products list (printed as 'up to 5 Ghz')
status: ground
source: discovery-products
where: 'Featured Products: 2 Micron InGaAs Photodiodes & Photoreceivers, DSC2-100S entry'
corrosion:
- environment: Low Earth orbit on the ISS (MISSE 7 external exposure), with UV, radiation and thermal cycling
headline: The company says its InGaAs photodiodes looked intact after 18 months in orbit, but no numbers were published.
effect: The CEO of Discovery Semiconductors said preliminary analysis showed the photodiodes intact under UV, radiation and thermal cycling. The article gives no before-and-after measurement, and the electro-optical characteristics were still to be studied after the article was written.
rating: low
conditions:
exposure: 18 months on the ISS, launched 16 November 2009, returned 1 June 2011
basis: qualitative statement by the company's CEO, no measured values; rating is assigned from that wording
source: lfw-2012
where: Article body (CEO statement after the return of the modules)
risks:
hazards:
- text: Wikipedia's safety section gives rodent exposure levels from National Toxicology Program studies of InP and GaAs (rats 0.01, 0.1 or 1.0 mg/m3; mice 0.1, 0.5 or 1.0 mg/m3). It does not print a GHS hazard class or a supplier safety data sheet for InGaAs itself, so no hazard statement is recorded here.
ghs: []
source: wiki-ingaas
where: Section 6 (Safety and toxicity)
failure_risks: []
side_effects: []
handling: []
mitigations: []
uses:
- application: optics-and-cameras
device: Short-wave infrared focal-plane array for low light level imaging
example: NASA's 2001 report describes an In(.53)Ga(.47)As/InP visible/SWIR focal-plane array sensitive from 0.9 μm to 1.7 μm for low light level imaging.
source: ntrs-2001
where: Abstract
- application: optics-and-cameras
device: High-speed photodiode module on the ISS (MISSE 7)
example: A high-speed InGaAs photodiode module completed 18 months on the ISS, launched 16 November 2009 and returned 1 June 2011, per the 2017 conference paper.
source: ntrs-2017
where: Abstract
- application: optics-and-cameras
device: Fibre-optic telecommunications photodetector
example: Wikipedia describes InGaAs photodiodes as the principal use of the alloy, as fast and sensitive detectors for fibre-optic telecommunications.
source: wiki-ingaas
where: Main applications list (Photodetectors) in the article text
- application: solar-arrays
device: Triple-junction solar cells and thermophotovoltaic power generation
example: Wikipedia lists triple-junction solar cells and thermophotovoltaic power generation among the photovoltaic uses of InGaAs.
source: wiki-ingaas
where: Main applications list (Photovoltaics) in the article text
- application: electronics-and-chips
device: High-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) with InGaAs channels
example: Wikipedia lists HEMTs with InGaAs channels among the transistor uses of the alloy.
source: wiki-ingaas
where: Main applications list (Transistors) in the article text
supply:
- subject: Indium
producers:
- country: China
share_percent: 70
year: 2025
critical_lists:
- list: USGS 2025 List of Critical Minerals (indium listed for flat-panel displays and touchscreens)
listed: true
- list: EU critical raw materials list (Regulation (EU) 2024/1252, as shown on the European Commission page)
listed: false
recycling: 'USGS: indium is most commonly recovered from ITO scrap in Japan and the Republic of Korea. Data on the quantity recovered were not available.'
substitutes:
- 'USGS: substitutes for ITO coatings include antimony tin oxide, carbon nanotubes, PEDOT and silver nanowires (these are display and touch-screen uses, not InGaAs).'
source: usgs-indium
where: Events, Trends and Issues (China accounted for 70% of the world total); World Refinery Production table, 2025e; Recycling; Substitutes
- subject: Gallium
producers:
- country: China
share_percent: 99
year: 2025
critical_lists:
- list: USGS 2025 List of Critical Minerals (gallium listed for semiconductors)
listed: true
- list: EU critical raw materials list (Regulation (EU) 2024/1252, as shown on the European Commission page)
listed: true
recycling: 'USGS: old scrap is not recovered. New scrap from GaAs device manufacture is reprocessed to recover high-purity gallium at one facility in New York.'
substitutes: []
source: usgs-gallium
where: Events, Trends and Issues (China accounted for 99% of worldwide primary low-purity gallium production; the text does not date this share more finely than the 2026 chapter); Recycling
media: []
documents:
- title: 'Wikipedia: Indium gallium arsenide (article text, fetched 2026-11-01)'
type: database
url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indium_gallium_arsenide
year: 2026
- title: An Indium Gallium Arsenide Visible/SWIR Focal Plane Array for Low Light Level Imaging (NASA NTRS 20010072609)
type: report
url: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20010072609
year: 2001
- title: Successful Space Flight of High-Speed InGaAs Photodiode Onboard the International Space Station (NASA NTRS 20170007487)
type: paper
url: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20170007487
year: 2017
- title: Discovery Semiconductors InGaAs photodiode modules return to Earth after 18 months on the ISS (Laser Focus World, 23 May 2012)
type: report
url: https://www.laserfocusworld.com/test-measurement/research/article/16565684/discovery-semiconductors-ingaas-photodiode-modules-return-to-earth-after-18-months-on-the-iss
year: 2012
- title: Discovery Semiconductors featured products, 2 Micron InGaAs photodiodes and photoreceivers
type: datasheet
url: https://www.discoverysemi.com/
year: 2026
- title: Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Indium
type: report
url: https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-indium.pdf
year: 2026
- title: Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Gallium
type: report
url: https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-gallium.pdf
year: 2026
gaps:
- 'Pre-flight versus post-flight performance is not stated in any source read. The brief''s ''no performance change'' claim for the ISS module is not confirmed: the 2017 abstract prints only the 16.8 GHz bandwidth, and the 2012 article gives no numbers and says post-flight tests had only just started.'
- Atomic weights of indium, gallium and arsenic were not read in this run, so they are not entered in story.recipe.
- No CAS number, EC number, space group, crystal system, UNS, EN or other designation for InGaAs appears in any source read; none entered.
- Density, melting point, thermal conductivity, refractive index and dielectric constant are not printed on the Wikipedia page, and no other source read gives them. Not found in any source we hold.
- Band gap, lattice constant, electron and hole mobility, electron effective mass, cut-off wavelength, detector figures and ISS duration are not canonical names in spores/property-canon.yaml. They are entered under snake_case names (band_gap, lattice_constant, electron_mobility, hole_mobility, electron_effective_mass, cutoff_wavelength, reverse_saturation_current_density, shunt_resistance_area_product, detectivity, spectral_range, quantum_efficiency, bandwidth_3db, temperature_cycling_range, flight_duration).
- 'Two cut-off wavelengths for the same alloy: 1.68 μm in the Wikipedia Materials synthesis section (at 295 K) and 1.7 μm long-wavelength cut-off in the 2001 NASA abstract (at 290 K, for the focal-plane array). Both are kept as printed.'
- Section 4.5 of the Wikipedia page prints 250 cm2/s as a room-temperature electron diffusion constant. The same number is the hole mobility in its table, so the diffusion value is not entered.
- 'Corrosion and ageing: no measured degradation data for InGaAs in vacuum, UV, radiation or thermal cycling were found. The only exposure statement is qualitative (company CEO, 2012 article).'
- 'Failure modes, handling and mitigations: no sourced entries. No GHS classification or supplier safety data sheet for InGaAs was read; Wikipedia gives rodent exposure levels, not a hazard class.'
- 'Supply: no production or refinery data for arsenic were read, so arsenic is not entered in supply. Arsenic is on the USGS 2025 and EU critical lists (confirmed on the USGS and European Commission pages), with no producer shares.'
- Radiation dose, vacuum and thermal-vacuum results beyond the one ISS flight were not found in any source read. No second flight or ground-test source with numbers was found.
sources:
wiki-ingaas:
title: Indium gallium arsenide (Wikipedia article)
id: Wikipedia, article text (no infobox captured)
url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indium_gallium_arsenide
year: 2026
kind: web
license: CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikipedia; cited, not reproduced)
ntrs-2001:
title: An Indium Gallium Arsenide Visible/SWIR Focal Plane Array for Low Light Level Imaging
id: NASA NTRS 20010072609; report AD-A390252; authors Cohen, Ettenberg, Lange, Olsen
url: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20010072609
year: 2001
kind: report
license: public domain (NASA)
ntrs-2017:
title: Successful Space Flight of High-Speed InGaAs Photodiode Onboard the International Space Station
id: NASA NTRS 20170007487; NF1676L-27581; authors Joshi (Discovery Semiconductors), Prasad (NASA Langley), Datta (Discovery Semiconductors)
url: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20170007487
year: 2017
kind: paper
license: public domain (NASA)
lfw-2012:
title: Discovery Semiconductors InGaAs photodiode modules return to Earth after 18 months on the ISS
id: Laser Focus World, 23 May 2012
url: https://www.laserfocusworld.com/test-measurement/research/article/16565684/discovery-semiconductors-ingaas-photodiode-modules-return-to-earth-after-18-months-on-the-iss
year: 2012
kind: web
license: publisher article, cited not reproduced
discovery-products:
title: 'Discovery Semiconductors, featured products: 2 Micron InGaAs Photodiodes and Photoreceivers'
id: Discovery Semiconductors featured products page
url: https://www.discoverysemi.com/
year: 2026
kind: datasheet
license: manufacturer web page, cited not reproduced
usgs-indium:
title: Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Indium
id: USGS MCS 2026, February 2026
url: https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-indium.pdf
year: 2026
kind: report
license: public domain (USGS)
usgs-gallium:
title: Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Gallium
id: USGS MCS 2026, February 2026
url: https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-gallium.pdf
year: 2026
kind: report
license: public domain (USGS)
usgs-crit2025:
title: About the 2025 List of Critical Minerals (USGS, 60 minerals)
id: USGS, final 2025 List of Critical Minerals
url: https://www.usgs.gov/programs/mineral-resources-program/science/about-2025-list-critical-minerals
year: 2025
kind: web
license: public domain (USGS)
ec-crm:
title: Critical raw materials (European Commission, list under Regulation (EU) 2024/1252)
id: Regulation (EU) 2024/1252
url: https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/raw-materials/areas-specific-interest/critical-raw-materials_en
year: 2024
kind: web
license: European Commission web page
license: CC-BY-4.0
updated: '2026-11-01'
review:
status: draft
method: assistant
checked_values: 17
unreachable: 0
caveats: 2
note: Written by an AI assistant on 2026-11-01 from pages fetched in this run. The web search budget for this turn was used up, so the source set is smaller than the brief's target. Not re-read by a second check.
story:
recipe:
line: In0.53Ga0.47As is a ternary alloy of indium, gallium and arsenic. Per the Wikipedia composition, indium and gallium share the group III sites in the ratio 0.53 to 0.47, and each formula unit has one arsenic atom. The composition is lattice-matched to indium phosphide (InP).
parts:
- name: Indium
symbol: In
share: 0.53
role: Group III element; the 0.53 share is the indium fraction in the lattice-matched composition the page uses.
- name: Gallium
symbol: Ga
share: 0.47
role: Group III element; the 0.47 share is the gallium fraction in the same composition.
- name: Arsenic
symbol: As
role: Group V element; the alloy notation GaxIn1-xAs has one arsenic atom per formula unit.
risk_groups:
- title: For people
level: 0
verdict: No GHS hazard class found for InGaAs
lead: No supplier safety data sheet or GHS classification for InGaAs was read. The one toxicity source is a set of rodent exposure levels from studies of InP and GaAs.
points:
- label: Exposure studies
line: Wikipedia gives the National Toxicology Program rodent exposure levels for InP and GaAs (rats 0.01, 0.1 or 1.0 mg/m3; mice 0.1, 0.5 or 1.0 mg/m3). These are study design values, not hazard classes.
- label: Dust
line: No dust or inhalation hazard statement for InGaAs was found in the sources read.
- title: In orbit
lead: The only flight result found is one 18-month exposure of a photodiode module on the ISS.
points:
- label: Flight
line: A high-speed InGaAs photodiode module was on the ISS for 18 months, launched on 16 November 2009 and returned on 1 June 2011 (MISSE 7).
- label: Thermal cycling
line: The module was cycled between -157 and +121 degC, 16 times a day, according to the 2017 conference abstract.
- label: Result
line: The company's CEO said preliminary analysis showed the photodiodes intact after UV, radiation and thermal cycling. The article prints no numbers for that result.
why: Indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) is a semiconductor alloy used mainly as a photodetector for short-wave infrared light. The composition In0.53Ga0.47As is lattice-matched to indium phosphide (InP), so it can be grown on InP substrates with little strain. It has a band gap of 0.75 eV at 295 K and a cut-off wavelength of 1.68 μm at 295 K, per Wikipedia, and a NASA 2001 report gives a 1.7 μm long-wavelength cut-off for its focal-plane array. The NASA 2001 abstract gives its spectral sensitivity range as 0.9 μm to 1.7 μm at 290 K.
uses:
- where: Fibre-optic telecommunications
line: Wikipedia describes InGaAs photodiodes as the principal use of the alloy, as fast and sensitive photodetectors for fibre-optic telecommunications. The 2026 USGS indium chapter notes that indium phosphide substrates are used in high-speed photodetectors and laser diodes for optical communications.
- where: Imaging in low light
line: A 2001 NASA report describes an InGaAs visible/SWIR focal-plane array for low light level imaging, sensitive from 0.9 μm to 1.7 μm at 290 K.
- where: On the International Space Station
line: A high-speed InGaAs photodiode module spent 18 months on the ISS as part of MISSE 7. The 2017 paper reports a -3 dB bandwidth of 16.8 GHz for the module.
can_do:
- label: Band gap
benchmark: band_gap
line: In0.53Ga0.47As has a band gap of 0.75 eV at 295 K, per the Wikipedia properties table. The same page gives the absorption edge at the same composition as 0.75 eV.
- label: Response range
benchmark: spectral_range
line: The NASA 2001 abstract gives a spectral sensitivity range of 0.9 μm to 1.7 μm at 290 K for an InGaAs/InP focal-plane array. The Wikipedia page gives a cut-off wavelength of 1.68 μm at 295 K for the same alloy.
- label: Bandwidth
benchmark: bandwidth_3db
line: A 2017 conference abstract reports a -3 dB bandwidth of 16.8 GHz for the InGaAs photodiode module flown on the ISS. A Discovery Semiconductors receiver lists a bandwidth up to 18 GHz at 2.2 μm, per its product title.
- label: Electron transport
benchmark: electron_mobility
line: The electron mobility of reasonably pure Ga0.47In0.53As is printed as 10,000 cm2/(V·s) at 295 K. The hole mobility in the same table is 250 cm2/(V·s) at 295 K.
compare: InGaAs is a short-wave infrared detector material, with a cut-off of 1.68 μm at 295 K (Wikipedia) and 1.7 μm (NASA 2001 abstract). The sources read for this profile give its band gap, mobility and cut-off values, but no figures for other materials, so no ranking against them is claimed here. The table below lists the three benchmarks to compare.
compare_rows:
- label: Band gap
benchmark: band_gap
- label: Electron mobility
benchmark: electron_mobility
- label: Short-wave cut-off
benchmark: cutoff_wavelength
handling:
- No handling or storage guidance for InGaAs was found in the sources read. Follow the supplier's safety data sheet for any wafer or module you handle.
- Wikipedia's exposure levels are study values for rodents, not safe limits for people.
good_for:
- Short-wave infrared detection from 0.9 μm to 1.7 μm, per the NASA 2001 abstract.
- Fibre-optic telecommunications photodetectors, the main use the Wikipedia page names for the alloy.
watch_out:
- Flight heritage is one 18-month ISS exposure with no published pre-flight comparison.
- The two cut-off figures differ slightly (1.68 μm and 1.7 μm), so quote the source and condition with each value.
- No radiation dose, vacuum or thermal-vacuum data were found beyond that one flight.
verdict: InGaAs is a well-documented short-wave infrared detector material with a flight result on the ISS, but the sources read give no before-and-after numbers for that flight.
References
Every number above carries a reference number. Click one to see the source and where in it the value comes from.
| # | Source | Type | Year | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indium gallium arsenide (Wikipedia article) | web | 2026 | 12 values | |
| An Indium Gallium Arsenide Visible/SWIR Focal Plane Array for Low Light Level Imaging | report | 2001 | 6 values | |
| Successful Space Flight of High-Speed InGaAs Photodiode Onboard the International Space Station | paper | 2017 | 4 values | |
| Discovery Semiconductors InGaAs photodiode modules return to Earth after 18 months on the ISS | web | 2012 | 1 value | |
| Discovery Semiconductors, featured products: 2 Micron InGaAs Photodiodes and Photoreceivers | datasheet | 2026 | 2 values | |
| Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Indium | report | 2026 | 1 value | |
| Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Gallium | report | 2026 | 1 value | |
| About the 2025 List of Critical Minerals (USGS, 60 minerals) | web | 2025 | 0 values | |
| Critical raw materials (European Commission, list under Regulation (EU) 2024/1252) | web | 2024 | 0 values |
Updated