Deposition equipment maker Aixtron SE of Herzogenrath, near Aachen, Germany says that its G5+ C multi-wafer batch metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) platform has been qualified for the manufacturing of specific buffer layers as a result of the collaboration on high-voltage gallium nitride (GaN) power device technology with nanoelectronics research center imec (Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre) of Leuven, Belgium.
Most recently, both Aixtron and imec received the 2016 CS Industry Award in the categories 'High Volume Manufacturing' for Aixtron's G5+ C and 'Substrates and Materials' for imec's GaN-on-Si materials development. In combining their expertise, Aixtron has joined imec's industrial affiliation program for high-power GaN-on-Si device technology. Within the framework of this program, Aixtron's 5x200mm G5+ MOCVD platform was qualified to integrate imec's proprietary high-voltage dispersion-free buffer technology to the 5x200mm G5+ MOCVD platform. Aixtron says that this goal has been reached in a very short time span and demonstrates the high level of technology readiness of the AIX G5+ C system.
"The accomplishment was mainly based on the rapid implementation of the portfolio of qualified layer processes by the epitaxy teams of imec and Aixtron building up the complex epitaxial material stack targeting high-voltage switching applications," says Dr Frank Wischmeyer, VP marketing & business development Power Electronics at Aixtron.
"imec targets high-performing and reliable GaN power devices requiring a concerted effort between device and material engineering," says Rudi Cartuyvels, senior VP Smart Systems and Energy Technologies at imec. "As the AIX G5+ C enables exactly this, we are pleased with the fast transfer of our device structure processes onto the new platform," he adds. "We are happy that Aixtron is part of imec's GaN industrial affiliation program and look forward to a continuation of the successful collaboration".
It is claimed that the G5+ C is the first fully automated GaN-on-Si production system including a cassette-to-cassette wafer loading system and automated reactor in-situ clean, and that the Planetary batch AIX G5+ C system demonstrated highest uniformity control of layer properties and lowest particle.
Based on a portfolio of qualified MOCVD processes at Aixtron tailored for the needs of the GaN-on-Si power HEMT industry, typical challenges like strain engineering of the AlGaN/GaN material on 200mm Si substrates, high-quality AlN nucleation on Si substrates and the pit-free growth of high-quality buffer layers could be addressed in the cooperation with imec.