VGF Technology
Submitted by drupaladmin on Thu, 2006-02-09 02:05.
| Vertical gradient freeze (VGF) technology is a proven technique for growing semiconductors composed of multiple elements that include: gallium, arsenic, indium, and phosphorus. Such semiconductors offer capabilities that exceed those of wafers created on a single crystal silicon substrate. Although AT&T Bell Labs pioneered VGF technology in the early 1980s, the founders of AXT, Inc. were the first to independently commercialize the process and make its benefits available to the market.
In brief, the process involves growing uniform crystals to a certain diameter, thinly slicing the crystal to very precise tolerances, edge rounding the form factors, polishing them into smooth wafers, then carefully packaging the wafers in a class 100/1000 room for shipping to customers. The main advantages of the VGF process include its scalability, low stress, high mechanical strength, and a defect rate that is orders of magnitude lower than conventional compound semiconductor crystal growth processes. |
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