Future Compound Semiconductor Manufacturing Hub

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EPSRC
EPSRC
EPSRC
EPSRC
EPSRC

£54,263,355

Sept. 30, 2016

Sept. 30, 2024

We will establish the primary global manufacturing research hub for Compound Semiconductors that brings together Academic and Industrial researchers. This will capitalize on existing academic expertise in Cardiff, Manchester, Sheffield and UCL and the UK indigenous corporate strength in the key advanced materials technology of Compound Semiconductors.

Cardiff, the Compound Semiconductor Centre and the other spoke universities will provide > £100M of additive capital leverage to the Hub, providing European leading facilities for large scale compound semiconductor epitaxial growth, device fabrication and characterisation enabling the most effective translation of research to manufacturing.

The hub will operate at the necessary scale and with the necessary reach to change the approach of the UK compound semiconductor research community to one focused on starting from research solutions that can be manufactured. It will do this by providing the necessary tools and expertise and will become the missing exploitation link for the UK compound semiconductor research community. It will be a magnet and the driver for high technology industry and will act as the focal point for Europe's 5th Semiconductor Cluster and the 1st dedicated to compound semiconductors. Partners will include local and UK companies and global organisations.

The importance of compound semiconductor technology cannot be overstated. It has underpinned the internet and enabled megatrends such as Smart Phones and Tablets, satellite communications / GPS, Direct Broadcast TV, energy efficient LED lighting, efficient solar power generation, high capacity communication networks, data storage, ground breaking healthcare and biotechnology.

Silicon has supported the information society in the 20th century and dominates memory and processor function, but is reaching fundamental limits. Whilst the combination of Silicon and compound semiconductors will produce a second revolution in the information age, they are very different materials with, for example, different fundamental lattice constants and different thermal properties and have different device fabrication requirements.

We propose research into large scale Compound Semiconductor manufacturing and in manufacturing integrated Compound Semiconductors on Silicon. The scale of the hub means we can bring together three world leading researchers in the growth of compound semiconductors on Silicon. Each has individually invented different solutions to tackle the silicon / compound semiconductor interface - together they will invent the universal solution. We will solve the scientific challenges in wafer size scale-up, process statistical control and integrated epitaxial growth and processing to facilitate new devices and integrated systems and open up completely new areas of research, only possible with reliable and reproducible fabrication, such as electronically controlled Qubits. We will facilitate the improved communication infrastructure necessary for the connected world and the integrated systems of the Internet of Things. We will produce large area integrated sensor arrays for, e.g. in-process Non-Destructive Testing, further benefiting manufacturing but also improving our safety and security. The key outcomes will be to
1) To radically boost the uptake and application of Compound Semiconductor technology by applying the manufacturing approaches of Silicon to Compound Semiconductors,
2) To exploit the highly advantageous electronic, magnetic, optical and power handling properties of Compound Semiconductors while utilising the cost and scaling advantage of silicon technology where best suited and
3) To generate novel integrated functionality such as sensing, data processing and communication.

Potential Impact:
Societal
Compound Semiconductor materials are a Key Enabling Technology underpinning the operation of the internet and enabling emerging megatrends such as Smart Phone usage, satellite communications/GPS, Direct Broadcast TV, energy efficient lighting, efficient solar power generation, advanced healthcare and ground breaking biotechnology. Simply put these technologies support our connected world and the future health of the planet. The next generation of these technologies can only be achieved with the step change in compound semiconductor manufacturing that we will achieve here.
Economic
Our vision is to ensure that the UK's research strength in compound semiconductors will be embedded in manufacturable approaches so the UK can commercially address the opportunities that compound semiconductors will provide. The global market for compound semiconductors is currently worth around $33.7Bn, with a compound annual growth rate of 17.3%, and underpins 100s of billions dollar related industries from telecom to automotive. Expanding commercial activity in the compound semiconductor sector will provide an important boost for the UK economy and maintain UK advanced manufacturing competiveness. A good example of this is Cardiff headquartered IQE Plc, the global leader in supplying compound semiconductor materials (~£130M turnover).
Our aim is to strengthen the relationship between academia and industry and this will be achieved by 1) changing the mind set of researchers to start from solutions that allow rapid translation to production utilising e.g. creativity@home to change approach, providing access to production scale and research tools that are functionally similar along with highly skilled support for the tools and processes; 2) Co-location of research and industry staff to maximise cross fertilisation of ideas, techniques and approach in an environment that supports interaction.
The hub will directly fund 50% of a translation / business developer and also leverage staff in the Cardiff Semiconductor Centre.
The hub will support SMEs through product prototyping, IP generation, skills development and training. It will help bid for external grants, coordinate partner forums, form networks and prepare roadmaps.
Skills Base
The project offers an excellent training opportunity, inculcating a manufacturing mind set in a UK strategically relevant high technology field. We will embed technological excellence and the latest manufacturing approaches in UK industry. PDRAs and students will participate in high level meetings with the commercial organisations and will work alongside R&D staff from industry. There will also be a direct economic impact via the provision of skilled workers to relevant companies, a feature of our previous projects.
Outreach
The hub will fund 35% of an outreach specialist to lead and promote the reach and importance of compound semiconductors and the strategy and activity of the hub. The specialist and the team will address audiences from school students to stakeholders to politicians. Resources are requested to train researchers and staff in media interactions and outreach using a range of innovative formats such as performance and theatre production skills.
Knowledge Dissemination
Via conferences such as UK Semiconductors and Photonics West, the latter providing an excellent mix of science and commercial activity. We will publish in open access peer reviewed journals such as those from both the Nature and IEEE stables.
Our aim throughout will be to engage new partners and we will hold workshops, use feasibility funding, actively canvas and make use of our existing partners and contacts, relevant KTNs, the Welsh Optoelectronics Forum and other appropriate bodies to connect as widely as possible.