iSMILE - integrated scalable microLED engines | iSMILE | Proyecto | Ficha informativa | HORIZON | CORDIS

Descripción del proyecto

Iluminar la microelectrónica

La incapacidad del silicio para emitir luz representa un obstáculo para la microelectrónica, ya que afecta a la velocidad de comunicación de los microprocesadores y contribuye a los diseños de pantallas voluminosas, especialmente en aplicaciones de realidad aumentada (RA). En este contexto, el proyecto iSMILE, financiado con fondos europeos, pretende integrar la microelectrónica con la microfotónica. Dirigida por QubeDot, la iniciativa establecerá una sala blanca de nitruro de galio (GaN) con sede en Europa, lo cual reducirá la dependencia de fabricantes no europeos. El primer producto serán módulos microled personalizados para gafas de RA, con planes para crear la primera planta de GaN del mundo, lo que permitirá un acceso más amplio a esta tecnología. Al producir localmente pantallas microled de alta precisión, el equipo de QubeDot prevé convertirse en la planta de microled de GaN más versátil de Europa, impulsando la innovación y el crecimiento económico en el sector de los microled.

Objetivo

Today´s microelectronics is suffering from the fact that silicon cannot emit light. Otherwise, technological road blockers like the communication bottleneck of microprocessors or like bulky displays hindering the rocket start of augmented reality could easily be overcome.

The EIC accelerator project i`SMILE will bring light to microelectronics. Our goal is to be an enabler for a natural integration of microelectronics with microphotonics. I`SMILE will establish a GaN cleanroom in order to be completely independent from non-European manufacturers. Customized microLED modules for AR-glasses will be a first product. Beyond that, i`SMILE will be the basis for establishing the worldwide first GaN foundry, making GaN technology fully accessible to European innovators, leading to a “democratisation of microLED technology”. Much like TSMC from Taiwan who is now the world´s largest foundry for silicon CMOS technology, we dream of QubeDot developing into the “TSMC for GaN” in the future.
After completion of the project, QubeDot will be able to produce microLED displays and customer-specific microLEDs with the highest precision within its own clean room environment using ISO9001 certified process flows. With single-shift utilization, the pilot line will be able to generate an output translating into potential annual sales of up to 25 M€, with an estimated margin of 30+%.
While other very large companies do not adapt their production processes for medium-size batches, QubeDot has understood the interaction of essential parameters in the processing of GaN through intensive research and development work. This enables the production of a wide variety of microLED architectures in terms of quantity, size, shape, emission color and package.
While other very large companies depend on semiconductor manufacturers with production sites especially in Asia, or are themselves manufacturing in Asia, QubeDot produces in Europe - at competitive conditions.