Hybrid ald-ink epitaxy for low-cost nitride semiconductor growth
A novel hybrid approach integrating ALD, metal-nitride inks, and 2D buffers to produce high-performance, low-cost nitride semiconductors. This method reduces costs by 30-50% while maintaining quality, using scalable processes on silicon wafers.
Overview
This innovative approach combines atomic layer deposition (ALD) with solution-based metal-nitride inks and two-dimensional (2D) buffers to create a cost-effective pathway for producing nitride semiconductors. The method addresses the high costs and complexities of traditional epitaxial processes like MOCVD by utilizing less expensive and more efficient techniques. This hybrid process enables the production of high-performance nitride semiconductors at 30-50% lower costs while maintaining the quality needed for advanced electronic devices.
Technical specifications
Key Features:
- Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD): Delivers atomic precision for GaN/AlN seed layers with minimal defects, enabling growth at lower temperatures (300-400 °C) on silicon substrates.
- Metal-Nitride Inks: Utilize scalable deposition of metal salts like GaCl₃ or Al(NO₃)₃, crystallized by thermal or plasma annealing, reducing costs significantly on large silicon wafers.
- 2D Buffers: Graphene or hBN buffers mitigate lattice mismatch, significantly reducing threading dislocations, and facilitating van der Waals epitaxy.
Technology readiness level
Currently at TRL 3, this technology is in the proof-of-concept phase. The next stages involve optimization and demonstration, advancing to TRL 5-6 with the development of prototype devices such as HEMTs, Schottky diodes, and LEDs. The project aims to offer an economically viable alternative for industrial application, with ongoing validation and benchmarking against traditional MOCVD methods.
About University at Buffalo, State University of New York
University at Buffalo is a comprehensive public research university and a leading campus in the State University of New York system. Industry engagement is anchored by co-located labs on a downtown medical campus, a research and technology park with incubators, shared core facilities, and co-op talent pipelines. Partnerships with regional hospitals enable clinical studies and translation, while proximity to the U.S.–Canada border and the binational Great Lakes corridor facilitates cross‑border collaboration. Research is supported by competitive federal funding from NIH, NSF, DOE, and DoD, alongside New York State innovation programs. A dedicated technology transfer office provides IP management, licensing, and startup support.
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