Siltronic, a manufacturer of hyper-pure silicon wafers, and imec, a nano-electronics research institute based in Belgium, have signed an agreement to develop silicon wafers integrated with a layer of gallium nitride.
Siltronic is a partner of a GaN-on-Si industrial affiliation program (IIAP) offered by imec. The collaboration aims to manufacture solid-state lighting and advanced power semiconductors on 200 mm silicon wafers.
Gallium nitride (GaN) features high breakdown voltage, high electron mobility and good thermal conductivity and can be used for next-generation power semiconductors and optoelectronics. Other applications where GaN is used include solar power systems, wind power turbines, energy-saving kitchen appliances and electric vehicles.
Structures using GaN/ (Al) GaN layers offer highly efficient switching behavior when compared with traditional silicon-based applications. But, GaN technology still has to be refined to be economically competitive. Therefore, cost-effective and efficient manufacturing process for epitaxial deposition of GaN/ (Al) GaN layers must be developed on silicon wafers of large diameters. Siltronic has expertise in epitaxial deposition on silicon substrates. Imec specializes in the field of GaN deposition on silicon substrates with 2-6” diameters.
VP R&D Business Lines at imec, Rudi Cartuyvels, stated that Siltronic specializes in epitaxial deposition on silicon wafers to develop a GaN manufacturing technology on silicon wafers of 200 mm.
Source: http://www.siltronic.com/