Process equipment maker Veeco Instruments Inc of Plainview, NY, USA says that ultraviolet short-wavelength light-emitting diodes (UV-C LEDs) research firm CrayoNano AS of Trondheim, Norway - which was founded in June 2012 based on research at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) Department of Electronic Systems - has ordered a Propel Power gallium nitride (GaN) metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) system, which will be used to grow semiconductor nanowires on graphene for water disinfection, air purification, food processing and life-science applications.
UV-C LEDs are free of harmful mercury, compared with typically 20-200mg of mercury found in traditional UV lamps used in these applications. They also require minimal energy to operate and have longer life cycles compared with other purification and disinfection lighting methods. The global market for UV-C LEDs used in sterilization and purification equipment is rising at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 56% from $28m in 2016 to $257m in 2021, according to the ‘2016~2021 UV LED and IR LED Application Market Report’ by LEDinside (a division of TrendForce).
“We see enormous opportunity in our focused markets and we need superior MOCVD technology to accomplish our goals,” says CrayoNano’s CEO Morten Froseth. “Veeco’s Propel system offers us the unique opportunity to scale to 200mm graphene wafer sizes while maintaining superior uniformity, low manufacturing costs and long run campaigns,” he comments.
The Propel Power GaN MOCVD system is capable of processing single 200mm wafers or smaller (e.g. 2-inch) in batch mode. The system is based on Veeco’s TurboDisc technology including the IsoFlange and SymmHeat technologies, which provide homogeneous laminar flow and uniform temperature profile across each wafer, up to 200mm in size.
“The Propel Power GaN system is the best choice to deposit advanced GaN-based structures, including complex semiconductor nanowires on graphene substrates with strict process demands,” states Peo Hansson Ph.D., Veeco’s senior VP, general manager, MOCVD. “Our Propel system offers industry-leading uniformity and process cycle time, therefore providing superior productivity compared to other technologies,” he claims.
