Historicalarchived

AFRL/Industry Research Effort Improves Semiconductor Film Quality

AIR FORCE RESEARCH LAB

The quest for new and improved electronics and photonic devices drives the continual pursuit of epitaxial technique advancements and a clearer understanding of epitaxial growth’s underlying physics. Scientists use epitaxial techniques to match the orientation of a deposited crystal with the orientation of the crystal that comprises the underlying substrate material. When the crystal orientations of two or more different materials (heteroepitaxial) are not properly aligned, defects (i.e., misalignment and dislocation of atoms) result. An accumulation of these defects is known as the defect density. AFRL is exploring ways to reduce defect density and thereby increase semiconductor efficiency.

Applications

Military and Commercial Significance:
AFRL scientists worked with Gratings, Inc. (Albuquerque, New Mexico), to demonstrate the feasibility
of producing improved-quality semiconductor films to support a diverse range of advanced military
and commercial applications. They achieved capabilities in this research and development effort that
could lead to major improvements in semiconductor films used in optoelectronic integrated circuits;
near-infrared photodetectors; and low-cost, lightweight, high-efficiency solar cells with high mechanical
strength.
AFRL and Gratings reduced the density of defects--misalignments and dislocations
in the atomic layering--by a factor of 10,000. They completed the effort under the Air Force Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project. Their research focused on the heteroepitaxial growth of gallium arsenide and germanium on silicon (Si) surfaces. This accomplishment could have tremendous impact on the performance of semiconductor devices for future warfighting systems and
commercial products.
AFRL and Gratings’ SBIR effort expands the potential for extremely high quality semiconductor films. The work also resulted in the development of innovative techniques for Si quantum wire fabrication and silicon-on-insulator configurations. Researchers earned a patent for the technology, which they developed under the
SBIR program over a 5-year period.

Provenance

Original: https://dodtechmatch.com/dod/successstories/view.aspx?id=60093
Archived copy: Wayback Machine snapshot

This record was recovered from a public web archive of dodtechmatch.com and is preserved for historical reference. It may be outdated. Not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. Contact details from the original listing have been withheld.