SINGAPORE — The Gallium Nitride (GaN) research group at the Institute of Microelectronics (IME) that Dr Shane Todd was working with was not involved in any sensitive or confidential project or research, his colleagues said today (May 17) at the coroner’s inquiry into the American scientist’s death last June.

“I am sure that the IME-GaN does not conduct any military-related research or defence-related research, said Dr Susai Lawrence Selvaraj.

He added that the five-member GaN group “could not have developed any highly sensitive technology”, contradicting a Financial Times report in February which suggested that.

Dr Yuan Li did say that the GaN group conducted some measurements for Huawei on their silicon devices but their collaboration was limited to that and preliminary talks.

He added that the GaN research at the IME was at a less advanced stage than at other research and academic institutions worldwide.

“While GaN can also have defence and military applications, the projects the GaN group were invoked in had no military applications because the speed of the device manufactured by the GaN group was not fast enough,” said Dr Yuan Li.

“The device manufactured by the GaN group was to be used primarily for basic power applications in commercial devices.”

GaN is a semiconductor which, like any other semiconductor material, can have military applications.

Todd was found hanged in his apartment on June 24, last year. Todd’s parents, who are attending the inquiry, believe that he was murdered over research he had done while working for IME.

Police say he was depressed and visited suicide-related websites several times before he was found dead, while a pathologist said yesterday that the injury marks on his body were only on the neck and consistent with hanging, not strangulation.

The inquiry continues this afternoon with more of Todd’s colleagues expected to take the stand. AMIR HUSSAIN