Objective
Element III nitrides are very stable and direct large
Element III nitrides are very stable and direct large
band gap materials which are particularly well suited for
high power microwave, high temperature electronics and
UV/blue optoelectronic device applications. However, the
realisation of nitride compounds requires the development
of several enabling technologies to overcome today's
limitations. The basic technology which is the today
limitation is the growth process, while other
technologies, such as processing, can more easily be
transferred from existing methods. One of the bottleneck
of the epitaxial nitride growth technology development is
the absence of an efficient source of nitrogen active
species. This is particularly true for extremely
efficient ultra high vacuum (UHV) based fabrication
technologies such as molecular beam epitaxy and related
methods. The main objective of this project is to develop
well adapted sources of nitrogen for the low temperature
growth of element III nitrides using UHV technology.
Only two complementary approaches can overcome the
problems of atomic nitrogen sources and will be
investigated: the use of plasma sources (electron
cyclotron resonance (ECR) or radio frequency (RF)
activated) and catalytic thermal cracking cell operating
at relatively low temperature. Other correlated
objectives are: i) the design and fabrication of an UHV
dedicated nitride growth reactor optimising the use of
the developed sources and ii) the establishment of the
basic know how of the growth of a nitride MBE type
process in order to be able to produce high quality
nitride quantum well based electronic devices at a medium
term. The ANISET project is divided into four technical
workpackages (WP) corresponding to the main points
considered:
WP1: Development and optimisation of nitrogen plasma
sources. The main objective is the fabrication of a new
ECR based plasma source allowing high growth rates of
nitrides and minimising ion production detrimental to the
overall electronic properties of these materials.
WP2: Development of a catalytic thermal cracker cell
for nitrogen containing molecules. This is a very
innovative aspect of the present project which, if
successful, will be a significant breakthrough opening a
new route for nitride thin film fabrication by UHV based
growth technology.
WP3: Design and fabrication of a nitride growth
reactor. The main point underlying this WP is to provide
a reactor optimised for the used of developed nitrogen
sources. This represents the necessary complement to the
development of highly efficient nitrogen sources in order
to get the complete benefit of WP1 and WP2 in terms of
both technological advance and industrial strategy.
WP4: Growth and characterisation of state of the art
nitride materials. This WP corresponds to a twofold
objective:i) provides the companies involved in the
consortium with the know how of nitride thin films growth
necessary to get a leading position in the corresponding
market; ii) provide EC with a strong scientific and
technological grounds for material processing of this new
and strategic class of semiconductors.
ANISET is proposed by a consortium involving two leading
SME's in charge of the development corresponding to WP1
3, a world wide company leader in electronic applications
(project leader and end user) and two academic
institutions well know for their expertise in physics and
epitaxial growth of III V semiconductors. This will
reinforce the well established supremacy of European
position in UHV technology and open new markets for the
two SMEs in charge of the development. This project is
also of strategic importance for electronic based
applications company. More generally, it will contribute
to boost nitride based UHV thin film fabrication
technology in EC. ANISET is closely related to the task
force ' Car for tomorrow ' and ' Next generation aircraft ' since it will allow the fabrication of strategic
electronic nitride based devices operating at engine
temperatures.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringinformation engineeringtelecommunicationsradio technologyradio frequency
- natural sciencesphysical sciencestheoretical physicsparticle physicsparticle accelerator
- engineering and technologymechanical engineeringvehicle engineeringaerospace engineeringaircraft
- engineering and technologymaterials engineeringcoating and films
- natural sciencesphysical scienceselectromagnetism and electronicssemiconductivity
Call for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
CSC - Cost-sharing contractsCoordinator
91404 Orsay
France