3818.00.00.10 - Gallium arsenide wafers, doped

This HTS subheading covers doped gallium arsenide (GaAs) wafers specifically designed for use in electronic applications. Gallium arsenide is a semiconductor material known for its high electron mobility, making it suitable for high-frequency and optoelectronic devices. The "doped" characteristic signifies that impurities have been intentionally added to the semiconductor material to alter its electrical conductivity, a crucial step in manufacturing integrated circuits, transistors, and other electronic components. These wafers are typically in a thin, disc, or similar flat form, ready for further processing into finished electronic goods.

This category is distinguished from its siblings primarily by the specific semiconductor material. While subheading 3818.00.00.20 covers doped polycrystalline silicon wafers and 3818.00.00.30 covers doped silicon carbide wafers, this subheading is exclusively for doped gallium arsenide wafers. The choice of semiconductor material (gallium arsenide versus silicon or silicon carbide) dictates the electrical and physical properties of the resulting electronic devices, and therefore, their classification. Subheading 3818.00.00.95 serves as a residual category for other doped semiconductor forms not specifically listed.

As this is a leaf node, there are no further subcategories. Classification within this specific subheading relies on the material being gallium arsenide, the fact that it is doped, and its presentation in a form suitable for electronics manufacturing, such as discs or wafers. This ensures that these specialized semiconductor materials are correctly identified and accounted for within the HTS system, reflecting their unique properties and high-value applications in the electronics industry.