ICS Anniversary Highlights £381M Annual Impact and 2,600 Jobs in UK Semiconductor Sector

UK’s Compound Semiconductor Hub Marks a Decade of Translational Research Excellence

Cardiff University, widely recognised as a leading Russell Group institution and one of the UK’s foremost centres for research and innovation, has marked the tenth anniversary of the Cardiff Institute for Compound Semiconductors (ICS). Established in 2015 under the University’s £300 million capital development plan, ICS was founded with support from the Welsh Government, the UK Research Infrastructure Fund (RPIF), and the European Regional Development Fund. The initiative formed part of Cardiff’s broader Innovation Campus strategy, designed to advance translational research and regional economic development.

University representatives noted that ICS had been conceived as an open-access, world-class facility intended to foster collaboration between academic researchers and industry partners in the development of commercially viable compound semiconductors. They explained that the open-access model had enabled engagement with SMEs and emerging ventures, thereby promoting inclusive innovation. The Institute’s remit spans prototype devices through integrated subsystems, with a consistent emphasis on delivering both economic and societal benefits, ranging from job creation and healthcare applications to contributions towards net-zero technologies.

It was further stated that ICS had combined advanced semiconductor fabrication facilities, specialist expertise, and strategic industry collaboration to accelerate innovation, support the formation of spinout companies, and enhance the UK’s global standing in semiconductor research. Among its notable spinouts are Kubos Semiconductors and Ateios Systems, both of which have commercialised research outputs. The Institute’s cleanroom capabilities, encompassing thin film deposition, plasma etching, and atomic layer deposition, have supported high-precision device development across multiple sectors.

Reflecting on the milestone, Professor Roger Whitaker, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Enterprise, observed that ICS had become a strategic driver of economic renewal in South Wales. He emphasised the significance of its world-leading cleanroom, its pioneering partnerships with industry, and its success in attracting and nurturing exceptional talent through doctoral training and industrial placements. As ICS enters its second decade, its mission remains focused on translating academic excellence into real-world technologies with applications in quantum, 6G, autonomous systems, and satellite communications.

Over the past ten years, ICS has developed extensive and productive links with industry. One of the most prominent has been its partnership with the Compound Semiconductor Centre, a joint venture between Cardiff University and IQE plc, which delivered Europe’s first prototyping facility for compound semiconductor innovations. This facility supports 200mm wafer processing, a key benchmark for industrial relevance and global competitiveness. The collaboration has received national recognition, with ICS being awarded Best Collaboration at the Insider Media Made in the UK Awards and the Collaboration prize at the Made in Wales Awards.

ICS’s research has underpinned multi-million-pound projects in areas including GaN devices, SiC power electronics, RF microelectronics, sensing, healthcare, and photonics integration. These initiatives have contributed to the UK’s strategic capabilities in energy-efficient electronics and advanced sensing technologies. The Institute’s impact has also been amplified through its role as a founding member of the South Wales Compound Semiconductor Cluster and the CSconnected programme. Observers have noted that the cluster integrates academic excellence, government investment, and industry leadership, and was named a finalist for the prestigious Bhattacharyya Award in 2024. The award, which recognises outstanding collaboration between academia and industry, highlighted ICS’s contribution to supporting over 2,600 highly skilled jobs, securing £82 million in industrial R&D investment, and generating an estimated £381 million in gross value added (GVA) for the UK economy annually.

In 2023, ICS relocated to its permanent home within Cardiff University’s Translational Research Hub, part of the Innovation Campus. The new facility includes a purpose-built 1,500m² cleanroom, enabling the scale-up of semiconductor fabrication from 150mm to 200mm wafer diameters, a critical step for commercial viability and industrial applicability. University leaders remarked that this development had reinforced ICS’s reputation for advanced process flow development and positioned it to meet growing global industrial demand.

Looking ahead, Professor Peter Smowton explained that ICS had, since its inception, prioritised manufacturability by encouraging researchers to consider industrial-scale production from the outset. He noted that the new cleanroom had enabled this philosophy to be implemented in practice, resulting in devices with commercially viable yields that meet industry benchmarks. He added that ICS would continue to strengthen industry collaboration, expand recruitment, and invest in new capabilities to ensure Cardiff remained at the forefront of UK semiconductor research and a leading innovation hub.ICS’s tenth anniversary reflects Cardiff University’s sustained commitment to transforming research excellence into industrial impact.

Editor’s Note:

Cardiff University is marking ten years of its Institute for Compound Semiconductors (ICS), a flagship research centre that has played a pivotal role in shaping the future of technology in the UK. Established in 2015 with £300 million in combined support from the Welsh and UK governments, the Institute was created to bridge the gap between academic research and industry needs and over the past decade, it has done precisely that.
ICS has grown into a national leader in compound semiconductor innovation, advancing the materials that power high-speed chips used in mobile phones, electric vehicles, medical scanners, and other everyday technologies. Its success has also transformed South Wales into a recognised technology hub, supporting more than 2,600 skilled jobs and contributing £381 million annually to the UK economy.

A defining feature of the Institute is its open-access model, which enables both small businesses and researchers to use its facilities for testing and developing new ideas. This approach has supported the launch of spinout companies and facilitated Europe’s first prototyping centre for compound semiconductors. In 2023, ICS entered a new phase by relocating to Cardiff’s state-of-the-art Translational Research Hub. The move provided access to a 1,500m² cleanroom, allowing the Institute to scale up chip production from 150mm to 200mm wafers. This development aligns with global industry standards and has significantly enhanced the Institute’s ability to deliver industrially relevant, large-scale semiconductor fabrication. Over the years, ICS has earned national recognition for its strong university–industry collaborations, receiving awards that highlight its role as a driver of innovation. Looking to the future, the Institute is set to expand its expertise and invest in new technologies that will support emerging fields such as quantum computing, 6G networks, and autonomous systems.

Skoobuzz believes that ICS has proved that research is not just about ideas in labs—it can change lives. From the way we talk to each other, to how we move around, to how we look after our health, its impact is already clear. And if the past decade is any guide, the next one could reshape our future even more.