Functional Improvement & Validation of next Generation Equipment - Pulsed Laser Deposition for High Volume Manufacturing of enhanced piezo thin film materials enabling 5G data communication

Project Information

FIVE-G

Grant agreement ID: 858428

DOI

10.3030/858428

Project closed

EC signature date 24 May 2019

Start date 1 May 2019

End date 31 December 2020

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs

Total cost

€ 2 452 500,00

EU contribution

€ 1 716 750,00

Coordinated by

SOLMATES BV
Netherlands

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - FIVE-G (Functional Improvement & Validation of next Generation Equipment - Pulsed Laser Deposition for High Volume Manufacturing of enhanced piezo thin film materials enabling 5G data communication)

Reporting period: 2020-03-01 to 2020-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The project named FIVE-G (Functional Improvement & Validation of next Generation Equipment) will deliver manufacturing solutions for enhanced thin film materials enabling 5G data communication. To enable the manufacturing of these advanced materials Solmates has been awarded the SME Instrument phase 2 grant.

The next generation of mobile technology, known as 5G, offers enormous potential for businesses and the wider public as it will facilitate faster downloads, reduce latency and improve energy efficiency. These are crucial attributes to achieving the Internet of Things (IoT) and the use of mobile networks to connect and operate autonomous cars, remotely controlled industrial robots, telehealth systems and smart city infrastructure. However, the technology and ability to manufacture the RF (Radio Frequency) components that are crucial to 5Gs success are currently not at a level that would make its widespread roll out viable. To improve the functionality of RF components it is a necessity to improve the properties or to introduce more advanced thin film materials.

Within the FIVE-G project Solmates will perform process development to deliver the advanced thin film piezo materials. In addition, Solmates will perform hardware development to further mature its PLD platform to allow production of these piezo thin films.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

During this reporting period the work carried out towards the achievement of these objectives is as follows:

• successful process development of advanced piezo's, PZT and lead free ScAlN thin films that meet the requirements of 5G component manufacturers.
• Improvements on existing Solmates equipment that meet the specifications for high volume production of advanced thin film materials.
• Realization of the design of the next generation cluster reactor for high volume manufacturing of advanced thin film materials.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

During the remainder of the project the prototype of the cluster reactor will be assembled and tested. An updated version will be installed at the site of a 5G component manufacturer. Integration into 5G components of the developed advanced piezo thin films will follow.

The success of these tasks will boost sales of Solmates thin film equipment, growing the company in size and creating jobs in Solmates’ supply chain.

Solmates next generation Pulsed Laser Deposition cluster reactor for high volume manufacturing