News Article
First long wavelength InGaN LED grown on silicon
RSL hopes to commercialise its indium gallium nitride-on-silicon technology in the next 2-3 years and then develop it further for growth on 200mm silicon substrates.
Scientists from RoseStreet Labs (RSL) have demonstrated what they claim is the world’s first long wavelength LED device grown on low cost silicon wafer substrates.
Green and longer wavelength LEDs have been sought after by both science and industry for a long time because they would fill a high-value gap in the rapidly growing global LED market for lighting and illumination where energy efficiency, low cost and miniaturisation are critical product characteristics.
RSL’s breakthrough device compliments its proprietary thin-film InGaN-on-silicon technology for high efficiency photovoltaic applications and power devices. These RSL longer wavelength devices are fabricated utilising commercial scale deposition tools at RSL’s Nitride Research Centre in Phoenix, Arizona. Silicon substrates have a substantial cost advantage over the more traditional sapphire or SiC substrates typically utilised in LED fabrication.
Efficient long wavelength LEDs are essential milestones in the roadmap for Solid State Lighting (SSL), LED backlighting and next generation display technology. Green or longer wavelength nitride based LEDs are very challenging to fabricate compared to UV and blue LEDs due to decreasing quantum efficiencies and have remained a tough milestone for the LED industry.
RSL plans to eventually package the green and longer wavelength LEDs through its sister company, FlipChip International (FCI). Using its extensive experience in packaging semiconductor power devices, FCI plans to provide a proprietary packaging solution for these LED devices.
RSL scientists have also demonstrated initial tunability of this technology to multi-colour and white light spectrums. This RSL device illustrates great promise due to its potential for high intensity, low energy consumption and a roadmap to a very low commercial cost. RSL believes this technology can be commercialised in 2-3 years with migration to 200mm silicon substrates.
Bob Forcier, CEO, of RSL, stated, “These longer wavelength and green LED breakthrough devices fit perfectly into RSL’s roadmap for disruptive energy innovation at all levels on a global scale and leverages its GaN and InGaN-on-silicon investments."
Wladek Walukiewicz, CTO, announced, “Green LED’s have been elusive due to material challenges of producing a high efficiency device in the green region and the longer wavelengths of the spectrum…we are quite excited about the potential of this device."
