Company
IQE plc
A Cardiff, UK-based compound semiconductor wafer manufacturer and one of the world's largest suppliers of epitaxial wafers used in lasers, LEDs and other optoelectronic devices.
Covered in 2 MetalsCost.com News Intelligence articles, most recently on September 9, 2026.
Coverage
Indium
China's Grip on Indium Phosphide Squeezes AI Chipmakers as Wafer Prices Surge 250%
China's export controls on indium phosphide, extended to raw indium in 2026, have pushed wafer prices up roughly 250%, prompting a combined $4 billion Nvidia investment to build non-Chinese supply.
Gallium
Startup Raises $40 Million to Build AI Data Center Lasers That Skip the Indium Shortage
Photonics startup Quintessent raised $40 million to commercialize a gallium arsenide laser chip for AI data centers, built as an alternative to indium phosphide lasers, whose supply China's export licensing has constrained since 2025.
