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TDI demonstrates 6-inch GaN epitaxy

October 26, 2004…
Silver Spring, Maryland – Technologies and Devices International Inc. (TDI) a privately held Maryland corporation, today announced a revolutionary technical breakthrough by fabricating the industry’s first 6-inch diameter GaN epitaxial materials. 6-inch diameter GaN-on-sapphire epitaxial wafers were fabricated at TDI using it’s patented hydride vapor phase epitaxial (HVPE) process and equipment. Demonstration of large area GaN epitaxy opens a new horizon for the entire nitride community, including substrate manufacturers, device designers, producers of epitaxial and device processing equipment.

GaN is a high performance compound semiconductor material used for the fabrication of blue spectrum (blue, green, ultra violet and white) light emitting diodes (LEDs) and laser diodes (LDs), and high power/high frequency transistors for radar, wireless communication, and space electronics. White LEDs, in particular, are the focus of intense development by major optoelectronic manufacturers to replace traditional forms of illumination, including the common incandescent light bulb. Blue LDs are key elements for the upcoming generation of giant capacity DVD/CD and optical drives. The GaN device market is one of the fastest growing technical markets worldwide. According to Strategies Unlimited, the market it is projected to exceed $4B in 2007.

Although there is a strong development and commercialization effort for GaN devices around the world, current industry standard is 2-inch diameter epitaxial wafers with R&D effort in 3- and 4-inch sizes. Transitioning to larger substrates will tremendously benefit GaN device performance and economics. The most common substrate material for GaN epitaxy is sapphire.

Room temperature PL spectrum of undoped GaN layer. Pictures are courtesy of Accent Optical Technologies

“It is general semiconductor industry mainstream to reduce production cost and improve device performance and yield by increasing wafers size. We are proud to lead nitride technology to more competitive and economical solutions,” said Vladimir Dmitriev, president and CEO of TDI. “This result became possible due to our collaboration with Rubicon Technology, Inc., a U.S. based company, which supplied the 6-inch polished sapphire substrates, and with U.S. Departments of Commerce, Energy, and Defense, who provided the financial support through several R&D programs directed to developing a new generation of GaN epitaxial technology. This demonstration of 6-inch GaN epitaxy is a specific result of the Phase I SBIR program recently awarded to TDI by the Missile Defense Agency”.

PL leak wavelenght map

PL peak FWHM map

TDI will present more information on large area multi wafer advance HVPE manufacturing processes and equipment for GaN, AlN, and AlGaN materials at the Compound Semiconductor MAX 2004 Conference and Exhibition, Monterey, CA, October 26-28, 2004 (http://compoundsemiconductor.net/CSWEEK-2004).

About TDI
Founded in 1997, TDI Inc. is a leading developer and manufacturer of nitride compound semiconductors, GaN, AlN, and AlGaN with manufacturing operations in Silver Spring, MD, USA. The company produces and sales a broad range of customized epitaxial products including low defect GaN-on-sapphire templates for blue and UV LEDs and AlN-on-SiC semi-insulating substrates for high power GaN-based transistors.

Contact: TDI, Inc.
12214 Plum Orchard Dr.,
Silver Spring MD 20904.
welcome@tdii.com
Phone: (301) 572 7834

About Rubicon Technology, Inc.
Rubicon Technology is a leading material science solutions provider specializing in the production and distribution of sapphire substrates and components and other advanced technology materials. Rubicon serves the opto-electronic, compound semiconductor, and semiconductor fabrication markets. Our Chicago-based manufacturing facilities state-of-the-art equipment and processes, including our proprietary ES2-GSA single-crystal growth technology and ES2-PSA epi-polishing technology. Rubicon’s top-quality products, expertise, and collaborative approach are rapidly building the company’s customer base in Asia, the US, and Europe.

For more information please visit Rubicon’s website at www.rubicon-es2.com or contact our sales department at 847 295-7000, or via e-mail at sales@rubicon-es2.com.

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