Veeco Instruments, a process equipment solution provider for the production of wireless chips, MEMS, hard drives, power electronics, LEDs, and optoelectronics, has reported that its TurboDisc K465i gallium nitride (GaN) metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) system has been placed into production by AZZURRO Semiconductors, a German company specializing in gallium nitride on silicon (GaN-on-Si) technology.
AZZURRO Semiconductors uses the MOCVD system to produce GaN-on-Si wafers for LED template wafers, LED wafers and power semiconductors that facilitate customers to get the benefits of the technology edge of the GaN-on-Si technology themselves.
Veeco’s Senior Vice President of MOCVD, Jeff Hawthorne stated that Yole Développement predicted that the power electronics device market is expected to reach a value of $25 billion by 2015 and GaN is capable of fabricating devices with better switching speed and efficiency when compared to Si devices. Moreover, GaN-on-Si technology facilitates reduction in LED production costs. The company expects that the requirement for MOCVD systems for these GaN-on-Si applications will increase when technology shifts from research and development stage to production stage. Veeco’s K465i systems provide significant benefits for GaN-on-Si production such as outstanding yields and low particle count. The company provides continuous support for AZZURRO’s expanding GaN-on-Si business.
AZZURRO Semiconductors’ Vice President of Operations, Dr. Markus Sickmöller commented that the company’s technology offers superior-quality GaN layers devoid of cracks on 150 mm standard silicon wafers with very low bow values and superior crystal quality. Superior-performance, high throughput and process stability demonstrated by Veeco’s K465i are the reasons behind the selection of the system to fabricate these high-efficiency GaN-on-Si layers. The company expects that its GaN-on-Si technology will set off a new wave of cost-effective and high-efficiency components for the power semiconductor and LED industry.