Picogiga Sampling Composite Substrates for GaN RF Power Devices
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Smart Cut(TM) Engineered Substrates for Compound Epiwafers Enter Pre-production; SopSiC Handles Heat Better Than Si at a Fraction of the Cost of Bulk SiC
LES ULIS, France, Jan. 29 -- Picogiga International, a division of the Soitec Group (Euronext, Paris) today announced pre-production availability of SopSiC, a Smart Cut(TM) engineered substrate for GaN-based power devices. Silicon-on-polysilicon-carbide (SopSiC) bridges the compound epiwafer void between low-cost, low-power gallium nitride (GaN) on silicon and high-cost, high-power SiC for GaN HEMT devices. As such, SopSiC is designed to provide cost-efficient substrate solutions for advanced high-power devices used in wireless (RF) communication systems such as radar, satellite communications and base stations.
"SopSiC is an excellent example of how Smart Cut engineered substrates can be used to solve challenges for III-V applications," notes Jean-Luc Ledys, chief operating officer of Picogiga. "While GaN on both silicon and silicon carbide is part of our existing epiwafer product line for high-power applications, SopSiC gives our customers a significantly better performing solution than silicon -- and a considerably less expensive solution than SiC. In terms of dollar per watt, SopSiC is an extremely attractive solution."
The European HYPHEN (see release dated Nov. 8, 2006) project recently announced excellent initial material characterization results of GaN on SopSiC.
The SopSiC structure, which is engineered using Smart Cut layer transfer and bonding technology, includes: a bottom layer of polysiliconcarbide, an insulating buried oxide layer, and a high resistivity (1-1-1) silicon top layer. The top layer serves as the seed layer for GaN epitaxial growth, which is accomplished using MBE (molecular-beam epitaxy) or MOCVD technology. The bottom polysiliconcarbide layer is designed to evacuate the heat generated by high-power HEMT devices. SopSiC marks the first industrialized compound epiwafer product combining both Smart Cut and MBE technologies.
Samples for customers are now available in three-inch and four-inch diameters. Because the fabrication process is not limited by the small diameters of bulk SiC, the process is scalable to the larger wafer sizes standard for silicon -- a six-inch version is currently in development.
About Picogiga International:
A division of the Soitec Group, Picogiga is focused on the development and manufacture of compound semiconductor substrates. Its patented molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) technology plays a key role within Soitec's strategy of leveraging its Smart Cut(TM) technology -- the defacto industry standard -- to deliver advanced engineered substrate solutions to the compound material world. For more information, visit the company's website located at www.picogiga.com.
About The Soitec Group:
The Soitec Group is the world's leading innovator and provider of the engineered substrates that serve as the foundation for today's most advanced electronic products and nanotechnologies. Headquartered in Bernin, France, the company manufactures its comprehensive portfolio of engineered substrates, including silicon-on-insulator (SOI) and strained SOI (sSOI), using Soitec's proprietary Smart Cut(TM) technology -- the de facto industry standard. With its strong global presence, patented technology and industry-leading production capacity, Soitec is helping to drive the performance and power advantages that are key to the smaller, more power efficient, and increasingly mobile electronic products favored by consumers worldwide. Both shares and convertible bonds are listed on Euronext Paris. For more information, visit the company's website located at www.soitec.com.
Source: Picogiga International
CONTACT:
Camille Darnaud-Dufour
Vice President, Communications of Soitec mobile
+33-6-79-49-51-43
camille.darnaud-dufour@soitec.com
Kelly Picasso
Senior Account Associate of MCA
+1-650-968-8900, ext. 127
kpicasso@mcapr.com
Web site: www.soitec.com/
Web site: www.picogiga.com/
