Integrating environmental and resilience metrics for sustainable material substitution in compound semiconductor laser manufacturing
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Compound semiconductor manufacturing faces growing challenges from critical raw material dependence and environmental burdens. This study develops a physics-informed multi-criteria life cycle framework integrating environmental and resilience metrics to evaluate sustainable material substitution. The framework combines life cycle assessment (LCA), material circularity indicators (MCI), and a supply risk index (SRI) within a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) structure. The approach is demonstrated through a ‘case study’ comparing gallium arsenide (GaAs) and germanium (Ge) substrates in vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) production. Results show that Ge exhibits 11.4% lower cumulative energy demand, a 0.54 vs. 0.33 MCI, and a 0.18 vs. 0.39 SRI, resulting in a 4.2-fold higher composite sustainability score (0.822 vs. 0.194). These advantages are driven by Ge’s diversified supply base, higher recyclability, and absence of arsenic-related toxicity. Although GaAs currently benefits from greater process maturity, its environmental and geopolitical vulnerabilities highlight the long-term advantages of Ge substitution, while also indicating trade-offs in terms of short-term economic implications related to yield, process maturity, and manufacturing transition. The proposed framework offers a transferable decision-support tool for integrating environmental sustainability and supply-chain resilience into material selection and manufacturing strategies for advanced-technology industries.
Language: English
Subfield: Materials Chemistry
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7208814583