Integrating environmental and resilience metrics for sustainable material substitution in compound semiconductor laser manufacturing

Yu, Xin Aria, Shamoushaki, Moein, Baker, Jack, Gillgrass, Sara-Jayne, Smowton, Peter M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9105-4842 and Koh, S. C. Lenny 2026. Integrating environmental and resilience metrics for sustainable material substitution in compound semiconductor laser manufacturing. International Journal of Production Research 10.1080/00207543.2026.2728018

PDF - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (5MB)

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.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	In Press
Schools:	Schools > Physical, Chemical & Environmental Sciences Schools > Physics and Astronomy
Publisher:	Taylor and Francis Group
ISSN:	0020-7543
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	8 September 2026
Date of Acceptance:	18 August 2026
Last Modified:	08 Sep 2026 10:15
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/189462

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item