Production HVPE technology for GaN-based electronics

TDI proposes to develop novel multi-wafer HVPE technology for mass production of large area GaN (and AlGaN/GaN) epitaxial materials. The HVPE technique is a well-established, cost-effective method to grow GaN (and AlGaN) epitaxial layers on sapphire andSiC substrates. Recent advances at TDI have proven HVPE to be a reliable process for fabricating high-quality GaN-based device structures, particularly for HEMT and UV optoelectronic applications. This versatile technique allows the fabrication of bothmulti-layer device structures with submicron layers and thick layers suitable for free-standing wafers. Until now, a multi-wafer HVPE process was not developed for group-III nitride semiconductor materials.Phase I of this project demonstrated the first multi-wafer HVPE production-type process for epitaxy of (Al)GaN. Furthermore, the novel growth zone configuration allowed for the first time fabrication of 4-inch diameter GaN epi wafers by HVPE. These resultsopen an opportunity to develop high-volume manufacturing technology for high-quality (Al)GaN epitaxial materials on 2-, 4-, and 6-inch substrates.Phase II will focus on the development of HVPE technology for high-volume production of low-defect, low-cost GaN-based 2-inch epi-wafers for high-power/frequency HEMTs and UV optoelectronic applications. An additional R&D goal is to scale this epitaxialgrowth to larger substrates, up to 6-inch in diameter.