TDI Fabricates the First 4-inch AlN-on-SiC Semi-Insulating Substrate for High Power Applications


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SILVER SPRING, MD -- 06/2/2006 -- Technologies and Devices International, Inc. (TDI), a privately held Maryland corporation, today announced fabrication of the first 4-inch diameter AlN-based semi insulating substrate for group-III nitride compound semiconductor devices.  The group-III nitride compound semiconductor material family includes gallium nitride (GaN), aluminum nitride (AlN), indium nitride (InN) and their alloys.  The GaN-based semiconductor device market is projected to be at least $5B for 2007 and more than $7B for 2009.

   

The new product targets substrate applications for ultra high power AlGaN/GaN devices including high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) and high frequency power amplifiers for next generation of wireless communications. Other target applications include high power blue and ultra violet (UV) light emitters, light emitting diodes (LEDs) and laser diodes (LDs). 

The product prototype consists of approximately  10 microns of thick single crystal AlN film deposited on a conductive 4-inch silicon carbide (SiC) substrate.  Novel AlN-on-SiC substrates have very good lattice and thermal match to GaN-based devices and combine the unique thermal conductivity of SiC and exceptionally high intrinsic electrical resistivity of AlN. Thickness of AlN film is sufficient to provide reliable insulation and low current leakage for high frequency devices. Fundamental material parameters of GaN-based semiconductors result in superior power and frequency performance of resulting devices.  However, lack of suitable substrates limits development and commercialization of GaN-devices. 

To date, only 3-inch semi insulating substrates with high thermal conductivity have been commercially available for fabrication of power GaN-based RF devices. Introduction of 4-inch wafers will dramatically reduce device production cost by utilizing larger substrate area and  taking full advantage of 4-inch device processing lines standard for GaAs and other RF semiconductors.

“Development of 4-inch semi insulating substrates for high power GaN-based HEMTs has a long history and we are pleased to inform nitride community and especially our customers that the first prototype of AlN-based 4-inch substrate has been fabricated. The prototype was fabricated using proprietary stress control technology and crystal growth equipment developed by TDI for deposition of thick crack free AlN films”, stated Vladimir Dmitriev, President and CEO of TDI.  He added: “Our customers have been asking about 4-inch substrates from the very introduction of the first 2-inch AlN-on-SiC wafers three years ago followed by 3-inch product introduction a year ago.  This new product will allow our customers to use existing 4-inch device manufacturing lines, reduce production cost and speed up commercialization of GaN devices.  We plan to start pilot production of 4-inch AlN-based substrates in a few months and make the first product shipments in the last quarter of 2006”. 

About group III nitride compound semiconductor materials

Nitride semiconductors are used for fabrication of a new generation of electronic devices such as HEMTs for advanced wireless communications, and novel optoelectronic devices such as blue and UV LEDs and LDs, and UV photodetectors for applications in cellular phones, giant displays, solid state lighting and ultra large capacity optical storage systems, and variety of military applications.

About TDI

The company is a privately owned developer and manufacturer of novel compound semiconductors including GaN, AlN, and InN. TDI has developed a variety of  compound semiconductor materials and devices, primarily for applications in short wavelength optoelectronics and RF power electronics. 

For more information visit:

http://www.compoundsemiconductor.net/articles/magazine/11/12/3/1

  Contact for more information: 
  TDI, Inc. 
  12214 Plum Orchard Drive 
  Silver Spring, MD 20904, USA
 
  Phone: 1 301 572 7834 
  FAX: 1 301 572 6435 
welcome@tdii.com

 

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