Clusters are vital to bringing industry and academia together to drive the compound semiconductor industry forward. CSconnected is the world’s first compound semiconductor cluster, with 13 partners, including the Catapult, and is recognised as a world-leading centre of excellence in compound semiconductor research, innovation and manufacturing.
In 2022, the Catapult expanded its radio frequency (RF) testing capabilities to cover characterisation and verification of devices spanning frequencies up to 67 GHz, covering 5G bands, both sub 6 GHz and mmWave, and resilient communications frequencies.
5G Open-RAN (open radio access networks ) offer more open and accessible network architecture, which will improve the UK’s competitiveness, network flexibility and reduce costs. More network operators and enterprises are choosing Open RAN 5G networks as it avoids them being locked in to using large vendors who currently offer highly proprietary solutions.
The Catapult is playing a critical role in the development of supply chains for electric vehicles in the UK and across the globe. That market comprises power electronics, machines, and drives (PEMD).
The vision for this project was to develop and provide a supply chain for high temperature operation Hall effect sensors. These detectors can measure high frequency electromagnetic field switching for electric motors and drives, using a completely innovative Hall sensor element made from graphene.
DC link capacitors are a fundamental block of almost all power electronic converters, typically used in battery electric vehicles. This project explored the development of new technology to test and develop modelling for higher power densities and higher operating temperatures in power electronic converters.
When CSA Catapult was set up in 2018, the first key market identified was vehicle electrification, with predicted significant growth in demand for power electronics, machines and drives (PEMD) to deliver electrification of the transport sector.
This project brings together CSA Catapult, BT and Space Forge to develop high-frequency and energy-efficient radio frequency (RF) GaN (Gallium Nitride) power amplifiers for massive MIMO systems.
The SiNQ project (Silicon Nitride for Quantum Computing) aims to develop and establish a UK supply chain for integrated photonic components for trapped ion quantum computers.
The FABB-HVDC (Future Aerospace power conversion Building Blocks for High Voltage DC electrical power systems) project is establishing a globally competitive, UK supply chain. The leading edge technology will support a more environmentally sustainable, more electric future for aviation.
