!!! Press Release !!!

AIXTRON and National Cheng Kung University (NCKU)
intensify co-operation on dilute Nitride materials

Aachen/Tainan, August 11th, 2003 – AIXTRON, the world market and technology leader for compound semiconductor epitaxial equipment and the National Cheng Kung University of Tainan (Taiwan) announced today the start of the next phase of their joint technology co-operation on the development of GaInAsN based optical and electronic devices. After NCKU’s recent successful process start up of the new AIX 200 MOCVD system, equipped with the powerful in-situ monitoring tool EpiRAS, the partners have launched a Technology Transfer Program for the development and tuning of device structures of diluted Nitride materials, in the manufacture of which AIXTRON’s unique horizontal type MOCVD reactors exhibits outstanding results in terms of materials quality and controllability.

The widely proven AIX 200 MOCVD system has been selected by NCKU as it offers critical advantages for the GaInAsN process. These are a high flexibility, extremely precise control of interfaces and quantum wells and a high degree of reproducibility, which are very important properties when investigating such challenging materials. In particular for R&D purposes the Reflectance Anisotropy Spectroscopy equipment EpiRAS, a process in situ monitoring tool which is exclusively available for AIXTRON’s reactors, is very beneficial since it allows precise investigation and control of the epitaxial process.

Prof. YanKuin Su, Department of Electrical Engineering and Dean of Academic Affairs at NCKU states: "Our new AIXTRON MOCVD system has recently been qualified for the process development of GaInAsN device structures. Given our long-term relationship and technology co-operation with AIXTRON and its Taiwan based R&D Center as a strong and experienced industrial partner we feel confident and well prepared for the challenges of the development of new electronic and photonic devices made out of diluted nitrides, for which market experts predict encouraging demand growth in the years ahead. We are convinced that our new AIXTRON reactor, equipped with the unique EpiRAS in-situ monitoring tool, will allow us to drastically shorten our development cycles and efforts, and give us a head start.”

Dr. Christian Geng, General Manager of AIXTRON Taiwan comments: "We are very pleased to be part of this Technology Cooperation Program with NCKU which is one of the leading research institutes in Taiwan. The material system GaInAsN is considered to be one of the key materials for next generation telecommunication applications providing high data transmission and lower power consumption. The results of this production oriented research cooperation - which is typical for our work here - will contribute directly to the success of Taiwanese based optoelectronic and communications industries."

In addition to their user friendly operation and excellent process stability, AIXTRON’s horizontal reactor principle combines successfully very high precursor efficiencies with world best epilayer uniformities. Together with excellent reliability and high throughput, all these properties lead to a valuable device yield. Using AIXTRON’s proven Technology, a wide variety of application markets for GaInAsN based devices, (that can be used as an alternative to expensive InP-based devices) have been opened up, such as fiber-optic lasers and extremely low power consuming amplifiers for next generation mobile phones.

AIXTRON is, as verified by VLSI Research Inc, the world leading supplier of equipment for semiconductor epitaxy. Its equipment is used by a diverse range of customers worldwide to manufacture critical, advanced components such as HBTs, PHEMTs, MESFETs, Lasers, LEDs, Detectors and VCSELs used in fiber optic communications systems, wireless and mobile telephony applications, optical storage devices, illumination, signaling and lighting, as well as a range of other leading edge technologies. AIXTRON AG (FSE: AIX ISIN DE0005066203) is listed in the Prime Standard and Tec_DAX of the German Stock Exchange (Deutsche Börse) and is included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index World and the MSCI World Index.

For further information please contact:

© AIXTRON AG, 11 August 2003

Homepage | Contact | About Aixtron | Products & Services | Customer Support | R & D | Production Results | What's new | Events

© 1996 - 2003 by AIXTRON AG