By Nick Gilbert
Limburg Governor Mr. Herman Reynders and Flemish Minister Mrs. Ingrid Lieten were present at the official opening of EpiGaN’s new production location.
Research Campus Hasselt was chosen as the perfect site for the company’s production of gallium nitride epitaxial material.
The GaN-on-Si material technology from EpiGaN plays a key role in new generation of power electronics. Its performance is more when compared to the present Si electronics, which will be utilized in motor drivers, efficient power convertors, as better power supplies for computers and as inverters in solar energy technologies.
The company supplies modern GaN epitaxial layers to be deposited on SiC for precise applications and on Si for up to 150 mm. It is developing wafers with diameter of 200 mm. Large wafers are available for processing in previous Si CMOS fabs and this explains about surpassing of GaN-on-silicon technology at combining affordability together with high-performance.
Essential framework was identified at the new production unit in order to install the company’s cleanroom facilities, necessary for the GaN-on-Si production. During 2011, first wafers were sampled by the company to Asia, Europe, and the United States. The company is taking significant steps to accelerate the production.
According to EpiGaN’s CEO, Marianne Germain, the company is delighted about the present installations ongoing at the new site, which will enable to serve customers and beginners in the GaN-on-Si market field for electronics. Device manufacturers believe that this is the correct time to get access to this innovative technology, which plays a key role in future applications, Marianne added.
Source: http://www.epigan.com/