SBIR-STTR Award

Bulk AlN Growth For III-Nitride Devices
Award last edited on: 8/31/2009

Sponsored Program
SBIR
Awarding Agency
NSF
Total Award Amount
$593,603
Award Phase
2
Solicitation Topic Code
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Principal Investigator
Vinod Adivarahan

Company Information

Nitek Inc

1804 Salem Church Road
Irmo, SC 29063
   (877) 230-5338
   info@nitekusa.com
   www.nitekusa.com
Location: Single
Congr. District: 02
County: Richland

Phase I

Contract Number: ----------
Start Date: ----    Completed: ----
Phase I year
2007
Phase I Amount
$99,870
This Small Business Innovation Research project is to develop a novel semiconductor growth technique resulting in low dislocation density AlInGaN material that can be used to advance the current state of III-Nitride semiconductor device performance. The growth technique termed Metalorganic Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy (MOHVPE) is a hybrid of Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD), used for device growth where atomic layer accuracy is required, and Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy (HVPE), used for fast bulk growth. Deep UV light emitting diodes represent a new market opportunity for commercialization of semiconductor products for component and systems use. U.S. based manufacturers have succeeded in competing globally in the visible LED market with two of the five largest LED manufacturers being based in the U.S. with two in Japan and one in Germany. The Deep UV light emitting diodes enabled by this project will find application in water sterilization point of use systems.

Phase II

Contract Number: ----------
Start Date: ----    Completed: ----
Phase II year
2009
Phase II Amount
$493,733
This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will result in the development of a novel semiconductor growth technique to produce low dislocation density III-nitride AlInGaN substrate materials for high efficiency deep UVLEDs and electronic devices. This novel growth technique termed Metalorganic Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy (MOHVPE) is a hybrid of Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD), used for device growth where atomic layer accuracy is required, and Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy (HVPE), used for fast bulk growth. Their combination in a single growth reactor allows for the growth of very thick, low dislocation density films as substrates templates. Then the growth mode can be switched to the metalorganic sources to grow atomically controlled device active layers, such as quantum wells, without taking the wafer out of the growth chamber. The MOHVPE AlGaN substrate technology will lead to higher efficiency Power Electronics and deep UV LEDs. Deep UV LEDs offer the potential to greatly increase our understanding of the interaction between UV light and biological/microbiological species. This is increasingly important as we confront the global trends of an aging population (healthcare), increased population density leading to greater pathogen exposure and water shortages, and greater cross-border travel. Researchers are just beginning to investigate applications for UV radiation including cancer treatment, increased plant/food yield, and genetic modification with an increasing interest based on the ability to more controllably deliver UV radiation to particular points of interest that has been enabled by UV LEDs