Technology
Gallium Nitride Transistors for High-Frequency Power Switching
Quick fact
Gallium nitride (GaN) transistors can switch electrical signals about 10 times faster than silicon power transistors, allowing power supplies to operate at frequencies in the megahertz range and shrink dramatically in size.
Why this is interesting
Your phone charger is probably bulky and warm. But inside, a tiny switch made of a different material could make it a fraction of the size while losing almost no energy. That switch is a gallium nitride (GaN) transistor.