News: Microelectronics
21 August 2020
IVWorks and IntelliEPI partner on MBE-grown GaN epi
IVWorks Co Ltd of Daejeon, South Korea – which was founded in 2011 and manufactures 100-200mm gallium nitride (GaN) epitaxial wafers for RF & power electronics applications – and Intelligent Epitaxy Technology Inc (IntelliEPI) of Richardson, TX, USA – which was founded in 1999 and manufactures molecular beam epitaxy (MBE)-grown epitaxial wafers – have announced a joint partnership on technology and business development for GaN epitaxial materials based on MBE technology. The two firms have been collaborating closely since 2018 on developing production-scale manufacturing of GaN epiwafers by MBE. The framework of the technical and marketing alliances was formalized in 2019.
GaN/Si (up to 200mm) and GaN/SiC (up to 150mm) now available for evaluation
IVWorks, which uses hybrid-MBE technology to produce GaN epiwafers, has developed the Domm machine-learning-based artificial intelligence (AI) epitaxy system, which is said to dramatically improve productivity and scalability.
Hybrid-MBE growth is performed with a hybrid nitrogen source of ammonia and plasma for optimal quality and high growth rate. In addition, IVWorks’ Domm AI technology uses a deep learning algorithm to detect and analyze reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) patterns, which can monitor crystal growth at the atomic level during MBE growth in real-time. Furthermore, a prediction model is created by learning the validity and correlation of the dataset that integrates classified RHEED patterns, growth conditions, and quality results of the epiwafers. This prediction model can be applied to epiwafer manufacturing to maximize productivity.
IntelliEPI specializes in arsenide (As)-, phosphide (P)- and antimonide (Sb)-based MBE epiwafer production as well as gallium antimonide (GaSb) substrate manufacturing, with products including a range of epiwafers for microelectronics and optoelectronics device applications. IntelliEPI says it will leverage its strength in high-volume MBE production, equipment modification and component manufacturing to rapidly bring GaN to its product line.
“By partnering with MBE epiwafer production experts such as IntelliEPI, we will accelerate the role we play in supplying high-quality GaN epiwafers to the global semiconductor industry through the revolutionary AI manufacturing system, while enhancing market penetration and response,” reckons IVWorks’ CEO Dr Young-kyun Noh. “Thanks to IntelliEPI’s long experience of compound semiconductor epiwafer business and large-scale production, we will be able to significantly strengthen competitiveness for the GaN epi business,” he adds.
“This partnership will advance MBE GaN growth by combining AI technology from IVWorks and IntelliEPI’s large-scale production MBE growth capabilities and related equipment expertise,” says IntelliEPI’s president & CEO Dr Yung-Chung Kao. “IntelliEPI will work closely with IVWorks to develop a global business based on MBE GaN technology for RF and power device markets.”
Korean GaN epi foundry IVWorks raises $6.7m in Series B funding
