news digest ♦ Power Electronics
Air Water to develop GaN-on- SiC-on- silicon with Aixtron reactor
The company is building on large diameter SiC on silicon technology for LEDs and power devices
Air Water of Azumino in Japan has reported the successful installation of a fully automated Aixtron AIX G5 HT planetary reactor in an 8 x 6 inch configuration for the growth of GaN epitaxial layers.
Power device demand for
automotives soaring The electric vehicles fuel market is set to grow the most in the Asia-Pacific and European regions
Environmental regulations, the electrification of the powertrain, the need for efficient power management and the availability of new safety features are driving the global power semiconductor market in the automotive industry.
Two of the main compound semiconductors used in power devices are SiC and GaN.
The popularity of electric vehicles, which have a larger content for power semiconductors, is fuelling installations. On the other hand, new trends like the idling-stop system will boost the use of semiconductor content within traditional fuel-based vehicles.
A recent report by Frost & Sullivan, “Analysis of Global Power Semiconductors Market in the Automotive Industry,” indicates that the market earned revenue of $2.81 billion in 2012 and estimates this to reach $5.28 billion in 2018.
Aixtron AIX G5 HT planetary reactor
Aixtron says Air Water selected this MOCVD system to deliver superior material uniformity, a key factor in demonstrating the advantage of Air Water substrates for GaN epitaxy.
Following the installation, the company has announced the release of GaN-on-SiC on silicon substrates for this year.
In order to address future market demand, Air Water is also considering upgrading the system to an Aixtron AIX G5+, which can handle up to 5 x 200 mm (8 inch) silicon substrates.
As compared to traditional silicon substrates, the additional SiC layer displays the advantage of protecting the silicon substrate in the initial GaN nucleation process. Due to its crystal structure SiC is considered as an ideal template for the GaN growth.
So, the SiC-on-silicon substrate is enabling the growth of superior crystal quality GaN layers onto large areas. This characteristic brings efficiency and cost savings to a wide range of high-power and LED applications.
Air Water is a Japanese industrial gas manufacturer and has developed SiC growth on silicon for both power device and LED applications as part of the semiconductor gas business.
The company has already succeeded in the production of high quality 3C-SiC (111) on up to 8 inch silicon substrates and has also announced the release of these products for GaN epitaxial growth required to manufacture electronic devices for LED and power electronic applications.
Insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBT) and metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) are chief contributors to revenues, and are replacing traditional solutions such as bipolar junction transistors and thyristors.
And Asia-Pacific and Europe will be key regions for market growth.
Rising incomes of the middle class in countries like India, China and Brazil have ignited vehicle sales, spurring the need for power semiconductors used in these vehicles.
“Consumers are shying away from traditional gas guzzling automotives, preferring fuel-efficient vehicles due to the escalating costs of fuel,” says Frost & Sullivan’s Measurement and Instrumentation Program Manager Aravind Seshagiri. “This has increased the deployment of power semiconductors in existing powertrain and engine control systems, as original equipment manufacturers look to improve performance and lower fuel consumption.”
Stringent emission norms and mileage regulations have opened up opportunities for power saving chips. Emphasis on reducing switching losses for IGBT and switching on power requirements for MOSFETs in automotive environments where losses are induced by high temperature and electromagnetic interference, adds to the adoption of power semiconductors.
Although, while demand has gone up, it does not remain constant, making it difficult for semiconductor manufacturers to keep up with the steep variation. What’s more, it is hard to accurately forecast demand due to diverse consumer requirements. This means market needs are not completely addressed, thus lowering revenues. The lack of technical advancements in the field of power semiconductors has further slowed market expansion.
“With little technological progress in the power components sector, power semiconductor application areas are likely to be
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www.compoundsemiconductor.net August/September 2013
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