News Article
Turning III-V Science into High-Tech Products
Aixtron & Aachen University are hosting a two-day workshop in Aachen focused on the latest developments and results in the field of optoelectronics, such as LEDs, nanotechnology, photonics and solar technology.
Experts will meet at a two-day symposium in the SuperC building at RWTH at Aachen University to discuss epitaxy. This special form of crystalline growth is a proven process in the production of compound and other semiconductors materials.
In conjunction with its 25th anniversary, the Epitaxy Work Group of the German Society for Crystal Growth (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Kristallwachstum und Kristallzüchtung e.V., or DGKK) will hold a workshop entitled “Epitaxy of III/V Semiconductors” on December 9-10.
Discussions on the scientific fundamentals of epitaxy have resulted in the creation of numerous projects, high-tech products and high-tech companies with international success. This event is being organized by RWTH Aachen University (Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen) and Aixtron AG.
This year’s symposium for “epi specialists” will focus on the latest developments and results in the field of optoelectronics, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for the lighting industry, nanotechnology, photonics and solar technology. The organizers expect around 150 people from universities, research institutes and industry from all over Germany to attend.
On both days, junior scientists will undergo a crucial test by presenting their ideas to the scientific community for the first time. “The workshop will also serve as a national forum where doctoral candidates will for the first time have the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and expertise to a group of renowned experts. Naturally, this means they will also be presenting themselves as potential employees," notes Holger Kalisch, Senior Engineer at the Chair of Electromagnetic Theory (Institut für Theoretische Elektrotechnik) at RWTH Aachen University.
“The topics addressed in the workshop represent high added value for Germany”, says Michael Heuken, VP of R&D at Aixtron and Adjunct Professor at RWTH Aachen University. He has headed the DGKK’s Epitaxy Work Group for many years. “Companies such as Osram, Philips, Infineon and many Asian companies such as Samsung and Nichia use the technology that we will discuss here. Many companies will take advantage of the exhibition held during the workshop to make direct contacts with customers. This will allow them to create jobs and to be successful in the global market.”
According to a study by Optech Consulting, photonic products will generate global sales revenues of around EUR 439 billion by 2015. In addition to the traditional applications, optical technologies will also open up huge growth potential for solar technology, medicine, the life sciences, modern lighting technologies using LEDs and nanotechnology.
RWTH Aachen and Aixtron have also enjoyed close ties and intensive scientific exchanges for many years. Aixtron, which was founded in 1983 as a spin-off of RWTH, is an innovative high-tech company that today is the world’s leading provider of deposition systems for the semiconductor industry. “The connection as well as the continuous exchange between science and industry is extremely important for those competing in the international high-tech market”, says Heuken.
Companies besides Aixtron that will be exhibiting at the DGKK Workshop in the SuperC building at RWTH Aachen University include AkzoNobel, Centrotherm, CrystAl-N, CS Clean Systems, Dockweiler Chemicals, DOW Electronic Materials, GCE DruVa, KITEC, LayTec, MaTecK, MDC Vacuum, PANalytical, Rainer Lammertz, SAFC Hitech, Wafer Technology, WEP Control and Winder. Participants will also have the opportunity to visit Aixtron and RWTH Aachen University.
