Agnirva Space Premier League - Expedition #31449: Crystals in Space: How GTCS is Growing the Future of Semiconductors

Have you ever wondered how smartphones, computers, or solar panels work so efficiently? At their core are tiny but powerful materials known as semiconductors. These crystals conduct electricity just enough to power the world’s most advanced technologies.

To make better, faster electronics, scientists need to grow higher-quality crystals. But Earth's gravity can introduce defects during their formation. Enter the Growth of Ternary Compound Semiconductors (GTCS) experiment on the ISS.

Led by Dr. Ching Hua Su from NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, this project investigates how ternary semiconductors—made from three elements—form in microgravity. Why three elements? Because they allow for more precise tuning of electrical properties, crucial for new devices like infrared sensors or next-gen LEDs.

In microgravity, the crystal growth process becomes smoother, free from the buoyancy and sedimentation that complicate results on Earth. This allows researchers to observe the material’s natural tendencies—unaffected by gravity—and refine how they’re grown back home.

The GTCS experiment uses furnaces aboard the ISS to grow crystals layer by layer, enabling better control of their shape and purity. By comparing these space-grown crystals with Earth samples, scientists can determine how to optimize semiconductor production for the next wave of electronics.

With such breakthroughs, we’re not just growing crystals—we’re cultivating the future of technology.

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