Cree Inc. NASDAQ: CREE is a Durham, North Carolina based, American corporation which manufactures semiconductor materials and devices. It was formed in 1987 by researchers from North Carolina State University. Materials products include silicon, silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride. Device products light-emitting diodes (LEDs) made from their materials for a variety of uses, as well as power supply chips, motor controllers and microwave radios. The wide band gap semiconductors are suitable for high voltage or high power or high temperature operation. SiC is used for high power electronics, largely due to having a very high thermal conductivity. Two of the Head people of Cree are John Palmour and Chuck Swoboda.