RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
"We know what trends we need to pursue."
- Prof. Dr. Michael Heuken, Vice President Advanced Technologies
The GraFunkL research project aims to develop innovative UVC LEDs that can be used to disinfect microbiologically contaminated indoor air, wastewater, and surfaces. This is particularly useful in hospitals, where multi-resistant germs are prevalent. As a partner, AIXTRON is contributing its expertise in the deposition of functional graphene on a wafer scale.
GraFunkL stands for “Graphene as a functional layer in UVC LEDs”. AIXTRON's cooperation partners in the project are:
the Materials for Electrical Engineering department headed by Prof. Dr. Gerd Bacher (University of Duisburg-Essen, UDE)
Aachen-based Protemics GmbH, which specializes in terahertz measurement technology
Regensburg-based ams-OSRAM International GmbH
The project will be funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) with EUR 2.1 million.
The use of graphene improves both energy efficiency and light output. A layer of carbon just one atom thick, with high electrical conductivity and high optical transparency, is integrated into the UVC LEDs, thereby increasing the efficiency of the light-emitting diodes.
Another key objective of the GraFunkL project is to develop a platform that makes it possible to apply graphene over a large area – i.e. with wafers up to 150 millimeters in diameter. This, in turn, should be integrated into an industrial production line for UVC LEDs.
GraFunkL - Graphene as a functional layer in UVC LEDs
The project European Space GaN (ESGAN) aims to develop a 200 V enhancement mode GaN transistor for use in power management circuits for space applications. The advantages of Gallium Nitride (GaN) material such as reduced mass, increased efficiency and the potential of radiation hardness are well known, and the project intends to exploit these in the development of the technology. Devices will be designed, produced, tested for radiation effects, thermal effects, structural effects and reliability performance and will be demonstrated in an application to verify the desired performance. The target is to proceed with a space evaluation leading to a space qualification of the produced devices.
Additional objective is establishing an European supply chain to remove dependency from other countries and geographical regions. To achieve the goals of the project a consortium has been established in which the members cover each of the stages of the supply chain. The consortium is composed of the following companies:
- AIXTRON, responsible for the MOCVD technologies and processes to grow advanced layers for GaN transistors
- SEMI ZABALA, responsible for design, test and packaging of GaN transistors and integrated circuits
- X-FAB, a semiconductor foundry company offering processing services for GaN transistors
- AIRBUS DEFENCE & SPACE, one of Europe´s leading companies for design and manufacturing of satellite equipment and systems.
Between them these companies cover the supply chain end-to-end from materials, design, processing, packaging and test to the end users.
EUROPEAN SPACE GAN | ESGAN | Project | Fact sheet | HORIZON | CORDIS | European Commission
The future cluster NeuroSys is working on its own technological vision for artificial intelligence in Germany, with the aim of remaining at the forefront of business, security and ethics. The aim of NeuroSys is to establish a competitive, scientific and economic ecosystem in the Aachen region. To this end, all competences and infrastructures required for the development of future European AI hardware will be bundled in the region. The long-term vision is to achieve technological independence for Europe in this ethically and economically sensitive area.
A broad spectrum of expertise comes together in the NeuroSys future cluster: Physics, materials science and neuroscience, engineering and computer science cover the technical issues. Innovative products are being developed in collaboration with economists. Experts from the fields of ethics and sociology take care of integration into society and politics. As the nucleus, RWTH Aachen University works closely with the Jülich Research Centre, a member of the Helmholtz Association, and an institute of the Johannes Rau Research Association, AMO GmbH. Other companies are expected to join the cluster in the future.
Research into adaptive and energy-efficient neuromorphic AI chips will enable intelligent and resource-saving on-site data processing and thus create an essential prerequisite for future working methods, smart city concepts and the Internet of Things. At the same time, decisive contributions will be made from autonomous driving to learning systems and personalised medicine.
In the 2nd implementation phase in sub-project A ‘AI application-specific technology maturation of memristive components’, the focus of the work is specifically on the further technological development of memristors based on two-dimensional (2D) materials and valence change-based (VCM) metal oxide memristors for neuromorphic computing. AIXTRON is working on the optimisation of MOCVD system technology for the growth of 2D heterostructures. Layer structures are deposited on 200 and 300 mm substrate sizes, characterised and made available to the project partners for further investigations and the development of components.
Clusters4Future.de: Zukunftscluster NeuroSys
The Move2THz project’s goal is to demonstrate an European value chain and a more energy efficient technological platform for (sub-)THz applications. It will address today’s Indium Phosphide (InP) shortcomings and aims to support the development of an European ecosystem. Ultimate goal is to obtain a commercially and industry viable platform for use in various mass-market applications utilizing the higher frequency spectrum of 1 THz and beyond.
Furthermore, the project aims to strengthen the European innovation and value chain for indium phosphide (InP)-based electronics. This is in preparation for future scaling of the technology to produce high-frequency devices in larger quantities. To this end, the partners in the European network are planning research and development work for wafer production, epitaxy processes and design tools for transistors and circuits.
The project consortium consists of 27 European partners and has a budget of 40.7 Mio. €.
AIXTRON leads the development of epitaxy system and processes for high-quality electronic InP layers on wafers with a diameter of up to 300 mm. Due to its physical material properties, InP has great potential for applications in high-frequency electronics, for example for radar sensors or mobile wireless communication technology. The developments planned in the project will help to significantly reduce the costs for the future production of InP components and modules and thus increase the application potential.
The 2D pilot line project, 2D-PL, has the ambition to further strengthen the European ecosystem in the development of the relevant integration modules for offering prototyping services in the field of photonics and electronics, working on the maturation of the technology, and providing essential information aiding industrial uptake. The project expands on the findings of the 2D-Experimental Pilot line project (2D-EPL).
The main objective of the pilot line is to further mature 2D material (2DM) fabrication in an industrially relevant fabrication facility (FAB) environment to secure the 2D pilot line access. The service offerings include the preparation of relevant process design kits (PDKs) and multi-project wafer (MPW) run offerings, which are an essential part of the project's outreach plan. The large application space for 2DM and the broad differentiation for material property requirements make the development of such a pilot line very challenging. Therefore, within the scope of the 2D-PL project, the focus for module maturation is tailored towards the photonic and electronic devices and circuits.
The project consortium consists of 16 European partners and has a budget of 33.2 Mio. €.
AIXTRON SE served as the leader of WP1 in the 2D-EPL. We designed, manufactured and demonstrated process readiness of a new 300 mm MOCVD system for the growth of 2DM. In the new 2D-PL AIXTRON SE continues work on stabilizing and automating the process. Additionally, we are striving to meet the initial requirements for high-volume manufacturing (HVM).
The 2D pilot line project, 2D-PL, has the ambition to further strengthen the European ecosystem in the development of the relevant integration modules for offering prototyping services in the field of photonics and electronics, working on the maturation of the technology, and providing essential information aiding industrial uptake. The project expands on the findings of the 2D-Experimental Pilot line project (2D-EPL).
The main objective of the pilot line is to further mature 2D material (2DM) fabrication in an industrially relevant fabrication facility (FAB) environment to secure the 2D pilot line access. The service offerings include the preparation of relevant process design kits (PDKs) and multi-project wafer (MPW) run offerings, which are an essential part of the project's outreach plan. The large application space for 2DM and the broad differentiation for material property requirements make the development of such a pilot line very challenging. Therefore, within the scope of the 2D-PL project, the focus for module maturation is tailored towards the photonic and electronic devices and circuits.
The project consortium consists of 16 European partners and has a budget of 33.2 Mio. €.
AIXTRON SE served as the leader of WP1 in the 2D-EPL. We designed, manufactured and demonstrated process readiness of a new 300 mm MOCVD system for the growth of 2DM. In the new 2D-PL AIXTRON SE continues work on stabilizing and automating the process. Additionally, we are striving to meet the initial requirements for high-volume manufacturing (HVM).
Silicon carbide (SiC)-based power electronics use electrical energy much more efficiently than the silicon-based semiconductors that are primarily used today. Depending on the application, energy savings of up to 30% are expected.
The aim of the project is to provide European semiconductor manufacturers with a more reliable and energy-efficient epitaxy technology for SiC wafers in the future.
With a budget of €28.4 million, the “SiC” project consortium aims to significantly advance the current SiC epitaxy technology over the three-year project period. Power semiconductors manufactured using this energy-efficient deposition technology offer clear advantages, for example, in the transition to renewable energies, for electric mobility and in industrial applications.
AIXTRON SE will continue to drive forward the increase in resource efficiency in the production of layer structures made of SiC compound semiconductors, both scientifically and technologically. In addition, the amount of production waste generated is to be reduced. To this end, novel software-supported simulation and design methods for material- and energy-efficient manufacturing methods and components are being developed and researched.
Digitalization and the development of new technologies are constantly advancing and permeating more and more aspects of our society and economy. It's hard to deny that this is also fundamentally changing the way we work. Companies in the field of industrial production in particular face major challenges here. At the same time, this development also holds enormous potential.
With the AKzentE4.0 project, a central point of contact for the topic of digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI) in the world of work is being created in the Aachen region. AKzentE4.0 bundles regional know-how from business and science and forms an ergonomic competence center. The AKzentE4.0 project is funded with around 12 million euros and deals with the introduction and implementation of digitization concepts and innovative technology in the Aachen region.
AIXTRON SE supports the consortium with its extensive experience in the field of digitized production of MOCVD systems. Projects for the data-supported automation of processes in the production process and service functions are developed and tested.
ALL2GaN will strengthen the European Power Electronics Industry by offering an EU-born smart GaN Integration Toolbox as a base for applications with significantly increased material- and energy efficiency, thus meeting the global energy needs while keeping the CO2 footprint to the minimum.
The highly ambitious KDT project All2GaN consists of 45 partners from 12 European countries that collaborate in a Pan-European innovation network with the focus on performance and reliability of GaN power and RF technologies to meet a substantial higher utilization level covering the full supply chain from substrates to application systems and end users.
AIXTRON’s Role in the project
AIXTRON is driving key equipment and epitaxial growth topics for low- and high-voltage power switches as well as for RF amplifiers and MMICs. AIXTRON will contribute to several work packages with other leading manufacturers in the semiconductor value chain.
Key contribution
AIXTRON is always striving to advance the current state-of-the art in MOCVD reactor technology and its application. In the All2GaN project, AIXTRON will contribute with its key expertise in large-scale diameter MOCVD systems that will be optimized with new approaches towards higher throughput. This will help to enable a faster adoption of GaN devices in the power switching and RF communication markets that will help to speed up the reduction of the global carbon footprint.
The aim of the project is to investigate future-oriented vertical transistor architectures. The aim is to develop and test high-performance transistors with low static and dynamic losses and high dielectric strength on low-defect GaN substrates. AIXTRON SE will fundamentally investigate and further develop the MOCVD technology for the deposition of the necessary layer structures. To optimize the technology, suitable layer structures are produced and investigated. This is followed by the exchange of layers with the other project partners to produce and improve components. The feedback of the findings from the project partners serves to improve the technology. Within the framework of the project, an analysis of the deposition process is to be carried out, which can be used for further optimization for the intended application for power transistors.
AIXTRON’s goals are:
· Improvement of MOCVD system technology for power transistors.
· Development of a technology for simultaneous MOCVD coating of multiple substrates for
GaN-based vertical power transistors.
· Understanding the limiting and cost-driving effects of MOCVD technology.
· Correlation of device and circuit properties with epitaxy.
· Understanding and controlling the layer properties and their distribution over the entire wafer
area of a large wafer in the MOCVD process.
· Cost aspects and aspects of industrial suitability of epitaxy based on technical/scientific data
and model ideas.
AIXTRON SE wins tender for the BMBF Future Cluster Initiative (Clusters4Future). From a total of 117 competition entries submitted, 7 final future clusters have been selected for funding. One of these winners is nanodiag BW, a Cluster of Excellence from Baden-Württemberg, in which AIXTRON SE is allowed to participate because of its unique selling point of CVD growth of 2D materials on large-area substrates. Nanodiag BW stands for nanopore technology for the molecular diagnostics of the future.
The Clusters4Future action "nanodiag BW" uses nanopore technologies to detect epigenetic factors influencing diseases and brings the resulting diagnostic and therapeutic solutions into application.
Together with the partners of this cutting-edge research cluster, AIXTRON SE is developing industrial-scale solid-state nanopores for applications in medical technology that can be used as membranes. AIXTRON SE will continue to explore the CVD growth of 2D materials and their characterization to develop new CVD technologies for new fields of application in medical technology.
Nanodiag BW is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) as part of the Clusters4Future initiative.
Wide Band Gap Power at Silicon Cost
The challenge
Economy and society are increasingly electrified in order to become carbon-free. In such an electric future, electric voltage needs to be rectified and inverted multiple times including conversion of the voltage level during its way from primary energy supply over intermediate storage to the end-user. Efficient power conversion using sophisticated power transistors at each stage is thus mandatory in order to minimize the waste of energy.
Power transistors based on wide band gap (WBG) semiconductors such as gallium nitride (GaN) are able to improve efficiency in power electronic systems by replacing currently used silicon-based power switches. Due to their superior switching and conduction properties, they are suited for nearly all applications where efficient power conversion is required, e.g., e-mobility, transport, renewable energies, electric networks or industrial applications. Thus, in an electrified future, they serve as an important building block to reduce losses and save energy. However, the costs for WBG semiconductors are significantly higher than conventional silicon-based power devices, which partly impedes their application.
The YESvGaN project will develop a new class of WBG power transistors based on gallium nitride (GaN), which will be both affordable and highly efficient. This will be achieved by so-called vertical GaN (vGaN) membrane transistors, which will be suitable for conversion at voltages up to 1200 V and currents up to 100 A. The development of these new transistors will include innovations on multiple parts of the semiconductor process chain, such as low-cost substrates with thick epitaxy, vertical membrane approaches or multiple transistor channel concepts. To achieve the overall project goals, the YESvGaN consortium combines the experience and competence of 23 industrial and research partners from 7 European countries with an overall budget of nearly 27 Mio.€. AIXTRON improves to MOCVD process to fabricate such advanced power devices and optimizes the MOCVD reactor technology.
This project has received funding from the ECSEL Joint Undertaking (JU) under grant agreement No 101007229. The JU receives support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program and Germany, France, Belgium, Austria, Sweden, Spain, Italy.
This project is co-funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research in Germany.
Gallium nitride (GaN) is a wide-bandgap material that could take electronic performance to the next level. The pervasive use of GaN-based devices will enable the development of power electronic systems with energy losses close to zero in addition to a much lower volume/weight and lower systems cost.
The EU-funded GaN for Advanced Power Applications (GaN4AP) project plans to make GaN-based electronics the primary technology for active devices in all power conversion systems. The project targets the development of innovative power electronic systems, innovative materials, and a new generation of vertical power devices based on GaN. Furthermore, it plans to develop new intelligent and integrated GaN solutions both in system-in-package and monolithic variances.
The development of new power supply devices and circuits using GaN-based electronics is crucial for the global competitiveness of EU industries.
GaN4AP Consortium covers all the fundamental value chain bricks, from the GaN device manufacturer, assembly house to the automotive end user (both TIER 1 & 2), completed by top academic institutes and other tool or service providers (simulation software, measurement tools, etc.).
GaN4AP project will address the markets of:
This project has received funding from the ECSEL Joint Undertaking (JU) under grant agreement No. .101007310. The JU receives support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.
Gan4ap - Website
AIXTRON’s customized MOCVD systems are the key technology enabling development and manufacture of compound semiconductors. The many advantages of the AIXTRON Planetary Reactors® and the Shower Head reactor include user-friendly operation, excellent process stability as well as very high precursor efficiencies and the world’s best uniformities. Together with excellent reliability and high throughput, all these properties lead to a valuable device yield and a high uptime. AIXTRON will bring in its competence in the development and adaptation of CVD equipment based on customer requirements as well as its extensive experiences in the hetero epitaxy of III-V compound semiconductor structures, heterojunctions, LED and transistors.
Photonics and optoelectronics are key technologies for digitalization. The design of corresponding semiconductor devices as well as the modeling of epitaxial processes can still benefit significantly from artificial intelligence (AI) methods in the context of Industry 4.0. Digitization and automation as well as the Internet of Things require constant energy and data flows. Energy and data streams are to be transmitted simultaneously via fiber optics. The emerging technology of photonic power transfer, also known as power-by-light, enables power and data transfer to be combined simultaneously in a single optical link. By using optical telecommunication wavelengths around 1550 nm, the potential applications of such power-by-light systems can be extended to remote locations and enable sufficient remote power delivery. AI-assisted approaches to photonic power converter (PPC) design and fabrication are critical for further cross-industry application of photonic power and data transmission.
The German-Canadian joint project "Artificial Intelligence Enhanced Design and Manufacturing of Infrared Photonic Power Converters for Power and Telecom", subproject of AIXTRON SE "Smart MOCVD Process" "AIIR-Power" aims at the development of AI techniques for the optimization of optoelectronic device designs and their epitaxial manufacturing, as well as their application for the realization of PPCs for telecom wavelengths around 1550 nm. The main objectives of the consortium include:
Collaboration partners include AIXTRON SE, Broadcom, National Research Council Canada, Optiwave, University of Ottawa and Fraunhofer ISE.
AIXTRON SE is working on improving numerical MOCVD process simulation. In the process, a fundamental understanding of AI-enhanced software tools is being created. The approaches should enable the investigation of AI-enhanced device, or system, improvements. This will ultimately enable the development of strategies to reduce the cost of production processes.
This project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research in Germany.
The PowerElec project, jointly supported by the European Commission and the participating countries within the European Association of National Metrology Institutes (EURAMET) focuses on development of novel metrological methods and instrumentation supporting a step-change in productivity of the power electronics industry.
Electrification of transport, smart power distribution, and 5G/6G communications are instrumental in underpinning the European Green Deal and boosting the EU’s global competitiveness. Power electronics is crucial to these technologies and European companies are leading the transition from silicon to wide bandgap compound semiconductors. These materials offer huge benefits in terms of performance, but the manufacturing yield and long-term reliability are affected by material defects, which are hard to identify and characterize at the fabrication facility with existing techniques. Goal of the PowerElec project is to develop metrology techniques overcoming these limitations, joining efforts of National Metrology Institutes and partners from industry and academia. In the project AIXTRON utilizes the competence of the partner to understand the possible defects in semiconductor layer grown by MOCVD and based on this knowledge the AIXTRON MOCVD technology can be improved.
PowerElec project is brought to you by the EMPIR - The European Metrology Programme for Innovation and Research, which connects European metrology institutes, academia and industry to face new challenges in metrology.
The BMBF joint project NEUROTEC aims at realizing technology for novel neuromorphic electronic hardware and the appropriate software. An essential key component is the memristive cell based on different physical memory mechanisms. It stores information in electrical resistance and retains its digital or even analog memory value even when de-energized. In addition to the fundamental research in the work packages, the technology is to be demonstrated in the project as a process chain, producing a series of demonstrator circuits. The cooperating equipment manufacturers and companies in the field of measurement technology will be adapted to the novel concepts, materials and hardware components of neuromorphic electronics. This is being done with the expectation that there will be a growing global market for neuromorphic electronics in 5-10 years. These companies are all located in the Rhineland area. Thus, the NEUROTEC project contributes to the structural change in the field of digitalization and strengthening of high technology. The further specification and applications of the AI chips will be further researched in the NeuroSys future cluster. The common vision of both projects is to create an economic ecosystem in the field of neuromorphic AI hardware and software in the Aachen-Jülich region.
NEUROTEC II aims to drive fundamental research and development and supporting technology on this neuro-inspired approach to AI and to initiate translation into the increasingly digital economy. NEUROTEC II aims to apply memristive cells to a wide range of possible neuromorphic computing concepts.
In the AIXTRON SE subproject, the MOCVD technology for the deposition of the necessary layer structures is fundamentally investigated and developed. To optimize the technology, suitable layer structures will be fabricated and investigated. This will be followed by the exchange of layers with the other project partners to manufacture and improve devices. The feedback of the findings from the other groups serves to improve the technology.
https://www.neurotec.org/de
The future cluster NeuroSys sees its task in developing its own technological vision of artificial intelligence in Germany to remain at the forefront in terms of economy, safety and ethics. To this end, the players want to create a competitive scientific and economic ecosystem in the greater Aachen area. The goal of NeuroSys is to establish the Aachen region as the world's leading location for research, development, and innovation in neuromorphic artificial intelligence (AI) hardware. For this purpose, all competencies and infrastructures needed for the development of future European AI hardware will be bundled in the region. The long-term vision is Europe's technological independence in this ethically and economically sensitive area.
AI as software already dominates areas such as computer vision and speech processing. However, innovative new hardware concepts are needed to efficiently realize applications such as autonomous driving, personalized healthcare, smart cities, the Internet of Things, and Economy 4.0. Conventional computer hardware is increasingly running up against inherent limits in energy efficiency for AI applications. NeuroSys overcomes these limits by developing neuro-inspired hardware to enable a leap in energy efficiency.
A broad range of expertise comes together in the NeuroSys future cluster: Physics, materials science, neuroscience, engineering, and computer science cover the technical issues; together with economics, they create innovations, while experts from ethics and sociology bridge the gap to society and politics. RWTH Aachen University, as the nucleus, works closely with Forschungszentrum Jülich, a member of the Helmholtz Association, and an institute of the Johannes Rau Research Association, AMO gGmbH. Further companies are to supplement the cluster in the future.
In the 1st implementation phase, 5 projects were approved. In the sub-project NeuroSys: Memristor Crossbar Architectures (project A), AIXTRON SE is further developing MOCVD system technology for the production and optimization of devices made of 2D materials. In the process, layer structures are characterized and made available to the project partners for further investigations and development of devices.
Clusters4Future.de: Zukunftscluster NeuroSys
Production of graphene on an industrial scale
Graphene consists of only one layer of carbon atoms and has been considered a "wonder material" since its discovery. Of particular interest is the extreme strength combined with the material's flexibility. It also has a higher electrical conductivity than metals and is also transparent. The unique properties of the thinnest material in the world could enable a wide range of applications, but very few products are currently on the market. Some improvements could, for example, lead to a significantly increased sensitivity of sensors. Transistors, the heart of communications engineering or computer systems, could also be realized with particularly high clock frequencies. So far, however, these have only been laboratory demonstrations, not processes suitable for production. The most urgent problem is the not perfectly defined and reproducible quality of the graphene layers. However, a high and reliably reproducible quality of the electrically functional materials is an indispensable prerequisite for implementation on an industrial scale.
In principle, vapor phase deposition provides a scalable process for the production of large-area graphene layers. In the GIMMIK project, the production of graphene layers is to be evaluated under industrial conditions for the first time. The weak points in the corresponding processing will be identified and ways of eliminating the sources of error will be developed. Furthermore, the transfer of the properties of graphene to electrical components by integration into a material environment will be tested. This aspect will be investigated with focus on the evaluation of graphene quality, but also with regard to the improvement of component properties. In parallel, methods for the large-area, contact-free characterization of graphene will be developed, which do not yet exist at present. The aim of the project is the development of methodologies to ensure a consistently high graphene quality as a basis for production suitability for deposition and integration processes.
The GIMMIK research project aims to expand graphene technology for electronic components and to bring it up to a production-relevant level. If successful, the project will lead to an international breakthrough in the industrial application of graphene, which will strengthen the participating companies and Germany internationally as a scientific and business location due to its high exploitation potential.
Participants: AIXTRON SE, Germany (Herzogenrath) / Infineon Technologies AG, Germany (Neubiberg) / IHP GmbH - Leibniz-Institut für innovative Mikroelektronik, Germany (Frankfurt, Oder) / Protemics GmbH, Germany (Aachen) / LayTec AG, Germany (Berlin) / RWTH Aachen, Germany (Aachen)
Funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
Overall objective of the project:
AIXTRON's primary goal is to increase the production viability of our technology for applications in power electronics, photovoltaics, nano-photonics and sensor technology. The technology targets the energy and eMobility markets. Improvements in technology and effectiveness are needed to meet the international demands of a versatile, highly flexible key technology with frequently changing customer requirements, processes, products and material systems. This is to be achieved through In-dustry 4.0 approaches i.e. with networked and automated machine concepts, intelligent software, analyses at the edge of the detection limits and precise process control. Highly specialized solution approaches are required for the various applications and material systems due to the different physical properties. Electronic power converters and CPV technology serve as demonstrators. The solution approaches are critically tested and evaluated in a realistic production environment.
Project partners:
AIXTRON SE
AZUR Space Solar Power GmbH
LayTec AG
IMA - RWTH Aachen
Institut für Mikroelektronik Stuttgart (IMS CHIPS)
The joint project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi).
New facility will be the incubator of the photonics multinationals of the future.
Photonics is an emerging technology with a potential multitrillion market. Innovative small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are at the forefront of this development, but the R&D costs are prohibitive for them. That’s why 12 partners from northwestern Europe are creating an open access pilot line that will drastically reduce costs and time for the pilot production of new products. This new facility is projected to be the incubator of a thousand new companies and thousands of jobs. The 14 million euro project (OIP4NWE) is supported by the European Regional Development Fund and kicks off this week in Eindhoven.
Photonics is much like electronics, but instead of electrons it uses light (photons) as its workhorse. It uses much less energy, it is faster, and it opens up a wealth of new opportunities. One of the key problems photonics will help tackle is the exploding energy consumption of data centers, as photonic microchips consume much less energy than their electronic predecessors. Another example is a high-precision monitoring system for aircraft wings, bridges or tall buildings.
After two decades of basic photonics research, the first companies producing photonic integrated circuits (PICs) are now taking off – sparsely. One of the main hurdles is the high cost involved in R&D. Not only does the PIC production require expensive high-tech equipment installed in cleanrooms, but currently the production processes still have a high defect rate and are too slow. This was workable for basic research but not for commercial R&D. The technology readiness level, which ranges from 1 to 9, needs to be jacked up from the current 4 to 7.
The new project, led by photonics stronghold Eindhoven University of Technology (in collaboration with its Photonic Integration Technology Center), consists of the realization of an efficient pilot production line for shared use by European SMEs. It should take the defect rate in pilot production down and the throughput time will be shorter. All in all, this should lead to a cost reduction which significantly lowers the threshold for developing new photonic products. This should help establish a thousand integrated photonics firms within ten years after the project.
The front-end process (production of PICs on indium phosphide wafers) will be realized in the existing NanoLab@TU/e cleanroom facility at Eindhoven University. The PICs of different companies will be combined on one wafer to keep costs low. The back-end process is done at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Optics for beam shaping and light coupling) and at Tyndall National Institute in Cork, Ireland (Assembly of fiber-optic connections and electronics in the package). All steps require nanoscale precision to avoid product defects.
The first stage of the project is equipment installation. The second stage focusses on automation of the equipment while a third stage will involve intensive industrial research together with equipment manufacturers to optimize and develop new processes. The line should be fully in operation in 2022. To incentivize the initial uptake by SMEs, a voucher scheme for external SMEs will be set up.
The other parties involved are the companies AIXTRON SE (Germany), Oxford Instruments nanotechnology Tools (United Kingdom), SMART Photonics, VTEC Lasers & Sensors, Technobis Fibre Technologies (all Netherlands) and mBryonics Limited (Ireland) along with research centers Photonics Bretagne (France), Cluster NanoMikroWerkstoffePhotonik.NRW (Germany) and Photon Delta Cooperatie (Netherlands).
The project has a total budget of 13.9 million euros. Of this, the EU is funding 8.3 million, with the remainder coming from the participating parties.
Press Release Protoype AIXTRON epitaxy reactor for open innovation pilot line OIP4NWE
The demands on electric vehicles are increasing nowadays. As an essential component, high-performance batteries in great demand, which require specific technical characteristics and precise manufacturing. The characteristics of pantographs determine to a large extent the performance of the power battery. Conventional metal foils can only withstand weak bonding of the active material and are very susceptible to sulry/electrolyte. To solve this technical problem, we have performed a condensation deposition of carbon nanotube (CNT) forest by CVD, which can be scaled from roll to roll using our unique technology. The CNT deposition layer can protect both acid sulry and organic electrolytes from direct contact with metal foil. In addition, it can also provide a better mechanical bond between CNT and electrode-active materials and thus offer better electrochemical performance for power batteries. In this project we want to combine AIXTRON's advantages in CVD and CNT deposition technology with the manufacturing and market advantages of the other project partners.
The aim of the project is to innovate a new product (nano-carbon coated current collectors) for high performance lithium ion batteries (LIBs) for electric vehicles (EVs). This product is a necessary accessory for high-end battery manufacturers and thus represents a unique and profitable market opportunity for Weimu with relatively low sales effort. To achieve a successful R&D output, the main goals and activities are listed below:
Objectives:
1. to develop manufacturing equipment and techniques for specific industrial requirements
2. convincing samples with better performance than current LIBs
3. demonstration of scalability for manufacturing and production.
Activities:
1. production of nanocarbon coated samples based on requirements that can be performed in batch mode using the existing AIXTRON research tool
2. review and test coated samples in LIB button cells,
3. expanding the process by developing a roll-to-roll production line,
4. producing conventional LIBs on a scale for further testing, 5. ensuring the final product, costs and properties.
The innovation that this project demonstrates is the implementation of a dry process for coating LIB pantographs with carbon nanotubes (CNT). In current LIBs, current collectors are mainly aluminium oxide foils for the cathode, copper foils for the anode. Bare metal foils are susceptible to oxidation and corrosion. They are also weakly bonded to the adjacent electrode layer. To solve this problem, solutions with a thin carbon layer 2~5μm are currently offered to improve the interface properties. However, this process is a wet process, which requires a long processing time and an additional solvent mixture. Therefore, there are many advantages in replacing such a wet process with a dry process based on our unique nano-carbon deposition method. The steps could be reduced, so that the production time is relatively short compared to current solutions. In addition, the deleted nano-carbon coating would also have better properties, which are more valuable than previous solutions.
The new product aims to improve product properties as well as production efficiency in large-scale production.
The QUANTIMONY consortium is a European Innovative Training Network (ITN) with a core focus on the field of semiconductor science and technology, covering all scientific and engineering aspects from modelling through to material growth and characterization, device fabrication and analysis, and industrial exploitation.
14 PhD positions are available for highly motivated Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) as part of the new H2020, EU-funded, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Joint Training and Research Programme “Quantum Semiconductor Technologies Exploiting Antimony”.
We are looking for 14 young talented ESRs to work towards their PhD in one of these countries: Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain and UK starting on April/June 2021.
The QUANTIMONY project is funded by the European Commission (label 956548).
Further Information:
QUANTIMONY - Website
SKYTOP aims empowering the combination of topological state both in real and reciprocal space through the use of Topological Materials (TM) such as Topological Insulators and/or Weyl semimetals and magnetic Skyrmions. The objective is to develop a Skyrmion-TM based platform and realize devices with intertwined electronic-spin and topology for enhanced efficiency and new functionality that could lead to a new paradigm for ultra-dense low power nanoelectronics. The three key objectives behind this vision are: elaborating TM materials for highly efficient spin current generation and magnetization control; developing a functional TM-Skyrmion platform pushing skyrmions one step forward; demonstrating the potential of this platform through the realization of two exemplary unconventional devices: a reconfigurable radio-frequency Skyrmion filter and a Skyrmion-gas based neuromorphic device. SKYTOP will also expected to open a route for exploitation of the emerging Weyl semimetal materials which are currently being investigated at the basic research level.
Participants: National Center for Scientific Research “Demokritos” (NCSRD, Greece, Coordinator) / Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS, France) / Thales (France) / Max-Planck-Insituts (MPI, Germany) / Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerch –Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems (CNR-IMM, Italy) / Interuniversity Micro-Electronics Center (Imec, Belgium) / AIXTRON (Germany)
Funded by the European Commission
SKYTOP Project EU: Skyrmion-Topological insulator and Weyl semimetal technology (Video)
TRANSFORM is a research and development project funded by the EU and national funding authorities. The aim of this project is to build a complete and competitive European supply chain for power electronics based on SiC semiconductor technology from substrates to energy converters such as transistors and modules. It is intended to serve as a supply source for silicon carbide components and systems in Europe.
Such a supply chain also makes an important contribution to the holistic optimization of power electronic systems, which are necessary for a clean and sustainable European economy. Transform is expected to help Europe become a leader in SiC technology – including equipment and application not only on the current 150 mm wafers, but also on the next-generation wafers with a size of 200 mm. For this purpose, the next-generation silicon carbide technology is to be developed.
SiC technology primarily offers energy savings in applications such as renewable energies, industry and electromobility. Silicon carbide-based power electronics use electrical energy much more efficiently than current silicon-based semiconductors: Depending on the application, energy savings up to 30% are expected.
The main European players (34 partners from seven EU countries) are working together in the TRANSFORM technology project to cover the entire value chain from materials, semiconductor technologies, equipment, design and components to systems and to develop the new processes – from the laboratory demonstration to the pilot line – to market maturity.
The project also includes the development of central components such as production-proven CVD (Chemical Vapour Deposition) systems with high yields. The participating partners also develop and optimize processes and device design based on a new substrate process, including the adaptation of planarMOS and the development of the new TrenchMOS technology. A new global substrate standard “Smart Cut” is to be established for SiC substrates. Smart Cut technology enables high scalability, superior performance and reliability.
As a leading supplier in the field of CVD system technology for the production of SiC layers for power electronics, AIXTRON primarily takes on the following tasks in the joint project:
Improvement of CVD production technology for silicon carbide (SiC)
Development of a technology for the simultaneous CVD coating of several 200 mm SiC substrates
CVD system technology for Smart Cut SiC substrates
Deepening the understanding of the limiting and cost-driving effects of SiC/CVD technology, the correlation of device properties with epitaxy and the understanding and control of layer properties and their distribution over the entire wafer surface
The TRANSFORM project is funded by the European Commission (license plate 101007237) and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (license plate 16MEE0131).
This project is co-funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research in Germany.
Further Information:
TRANSFORM - Website
Digitalisation and the underlying key technologies are an essential part of the answers to many of the daunting challenges that societies are facing today. The core enablers for this digital transformation are Electronic Components and Systems (ECS) used in applications, information highways and data centres. These information highways and data centres are the “backbone” of the entire digitalisation (5G) and electrical energy is the essential resource powering them. Due to the steadily increasing demand for data traffic, -storage and -processing, higher energy efficiency is inevitable. This is also true for energy conversion in terms of Smart Grids and Smart Mobility.
Whenever Silicon (Si) based semiconductor devices reach their limits, Gallium Nitride (GaN) based power semiconductors are promising candidates enabling much higher switching frequencies together with highest energy conversion efficiencies. Several FP7 and H2020 projects, among them the ECSEL pilot-line project “PowerBase”, have proven these assumptions and serve as the basis for the availability of the first generation of European GaN-devices. Besides proving the ability to achieve more efficient and more compact applications by the use of GaN devices, these projects made clearly evident, that the challenges of the GaN technologies have been heavily underestimated. This clearly results in the necessity to further investigate GaN and focus the research activities on size reduction, cost effectiveness and reliability while dealing with severe challenges:
Higher electric fields (Drift phenomena impacting lifetime),
Higher current densities (Electro-migration impacting lifetime),
Higher power densities (Thermal issues limiting the compactness potential).
These challenges are forming a “red brick wall” for the next GaN on Si technology generations that hampers shrinking of GaN devices which is necessary to improve their affordability and thus increase the range of potential applications.
The RIA project proposal UltimateGaN will overcome the red brick wall and focus on the next generation GaN technology particularly addressing six major objectives along and across the entire vertical value chain of power and radio frequency (RF) electronics:
Research on vertical power GaN processes and devices pushing performance beyond current state-of-the-art,
Research on lateral GaN technologies and devices to achieve best in class power density and efficiency while optimizing cost vs. performance,
Bringing GaN on Silicon RF performance close to GaN on Silicon Carbide thus enabling an affordable 5G rollout,
Breaking the packaging limits – size, electrical and thermal constraints - for high performance GaN power products,
Close the reliability and defect density gap for most innovative GaN devices,
Demonstrate European leadership in high performance power electronics and RF application domains.
The first three objectives are GaN technology related meant to explore the limits by alternative device and process concepts. The fourth objective will address the fact that the outstanding semiconductor performance of GaN can only be harvested when assembly/packaging, interconnections and enhanced thermal management are optimized in a holistic approach. The packages, fully utilizing the unique performance of power GaN devices, are not ready today and therefore require further investigation.
Crystal defect formation, especially at the GaN on Si-interface, is one of the major obstacles toward yield and reliability levels of competing Si based technologies. Therefore, another main objective addressed by UltimateGaN is to prevent these defects in the next generation GaN on Si devices.
The research results coming from the technology and packaging objectives will be used and demonstrated in the course of the last objective dealing with demanding fields of applications for these high performance devices. Amongst many others these application areas are:
Extremely efficient server power supply enabling lower energy consumption in data centres (5G: digitalisation backbone),
Benchmark Photovoltaic inverters in terms of efficiency and size to foster the use of renewable energies (Smart Grids: energy backbone),
Affordable 5G-Amplifiers up to mm-wave enabling a faster 5G rollout (5G: digitalisation backbone),
GaN enabled ultra-fast switching LIDAR application to enable autonomous driving (Smart Mobility),
Highest efficiency μ-Grid-converters and On-Board Chargers (Smart Grids; Smart Mobility).
The project UltimateGaN will enable highest efficiencies in the specific fields of the chosen applications and will lead to a significant reduction of the CO2 footprint of digitalisation, smart grids and smart mobility. To strengthen Europe’s role in the future of GaN business, significant effort must be spent to achieve affordable next generation GaN on Si transistors. As US and Asian companies are also heavily investing in this direction, it is of highest importance for Europe to speed up progress towards the next technology generations.
Participants: Austria - Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik AG, Infineon Technologies Austria
AG, Fronius International GmbH, CTR Carinthian Tech Research AG, Graz University of Technology |
Belgium - IMEC | Germany - AIXTRON SE, Infineon Technologies AG, Siltronic AG, Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung GmbH, Fraunhofer Society for the Promotion of Applied Research e.V., Chemnitz University of Technology, NaMLab GmbH | Italy - Università degli studi di Padova, Infineon Technologies Italia, Universita di Milano Bicocca | Norway - Eltek AS | Slovakia - Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Nano Design SRO | Switzerland - Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne EPFL, Attolight SA | Spain - IKERLAN, For Optimal Renewable Energy, LEAR | Sweden - RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB, SweGaN AB
Funded by the European Union’s Programme ECSEL JU (Electronic Component Systems for European Leadership Joint Undertaking) and co-funded by FFG (The Austrian Research Promotion Agency).
Video UltimateGaN Project
Corporate Research & Development
Prof. Dr. Michael Heuken
Vice President Advanced Technologies
Alan Tai
Taiwan/Singapore
Christof Sommerhalter
USA
Christian Geng
Europe
Hisatoshi Hagiwara
Japan
Nam Kyu Lee
South Korea
Wei (William) Song
China
AIXTRON SE (Headquarters)
AIXTRON 24/7 Technical Support Line
AIXTRON Europe
AIXTRON Ltd (UK)
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AIXTRON Korea Co., Ltd.
AIXTRON Taiwan Co., Ltd. (Main Office)
AIXTRON Inc. (USA)
Christoph Pütz
Senior Manager ESG & Sustainability
Christian Ludwig
Vice President Investor Relations & Corporate Communications
Ralf Penner
Senior IR Manager
Christian Ludwig
Vice President Investor Relations & Corporate Communications
Prof. Dr. Michael Heuken
Vice President Advanced Technologies