Penn State researchers aim to enhance the University's research and development capabilities in next-generation semiconductor technology thanks to $4.3 million in infrastructure funding and in-kind support through the University's membership in MMEC, a consortium of regional partners focused on microelectronics research and development. The funding from MMEC, part of a broader initiative under the Department of Defense Microelectronics Commons effort under the federal CHIPS Act, will help the University establish an advanced lab for semiconductor thin films and device research in the Materials Research Institute's (MRI) facilities in the Millennium Science Complex at University Park.
MMEC is a non-profit consortium that unites industry, academia and government to drive innovation in domestic microelectronics, advancing technologies for commercial and defense applications while strengthening the U.S. supply chain. The founding of MMEC was initiated by Battelle, a private non-profit applied science and technology development company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Penn State is a charter member.
"We were very fortunate to be included in the original MMEC proposal," said Joan Redwing, lead investigator on the infrastructure project and distinguished professor of materials science and engineering and director of MRI's Two-Dimensional Crystal Consortium, a U.S. National Science Foundation Materials Innovation Platform and national user facility. "The proposal included infrastructure investment for training and workforce development. The funding will allow MRI to build capacity for next-generation semiconductor thin films and devices, which includes new equipment that will allow us to scale up fabrication and create prototype devices."
At the heart of the new facility, made possible by the funding, will be a metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) tool, manufactured by AIXTRON SE, a multinational technology company. The MOCVD tool works by heating a chamber in a highly controlled manner where special chemical gases, containing the elements needed for the material, are introduced. These gases react and break down on a hot surface, such as a semiconductor wafer, depositing a thin, even layer of material. This precise layering allows for high-quality materials used in advanced technologies like semiconductors.
This instrument will enable the deposition of semiconductor thin films on multiple wafers at a time at sizes up to four-inch diameter. The tool is unique in its ability to grow both wide bandgap semiconductors such as gallium nitride - used in power electronics - and two-dimensional (2D) materials - an emerging ultra-thin semiconductor for logic and brain-inspired computing. Gallium nitride and 2D materials have applications in high-performance power electronics and energy-efficient computing, which are critical technologies for electric vehicles and artificial intelligence, among other applications.
"This tool will allow students and early career researchers to gain hands-on experience with state-of-the-art thin film deposition equipment used by industry for compound semiconductor thin film manufacturing," Redwing explained. "It will also provide new capabilities for scaling up thin film materials for device research, particularly for advanced semiconductors including wide bandgap and 2D materials."
In addition to the MOCVD tool, the lab will house several other specialized instruments. One is a Jupiter XR atomic force microscope from Oxford Instruments Asylum Research for fast scanning and full-wafer mapping, which will help enhance quality control and characterization of thin film materials. The other is an evaporator for deposition of specialized contact metal stacks for devices fabricated using 2D materials. This tool will support research by Suzanne Mohney, professor of materials science and engineering, and Saptarshi Das, professor of engineering science and mechanics, in addition to other faculty.
The equipment will be available for use by researchers inside and outside Penn State as a user facility with shared process know-how. The lab's capabilities will provide opportunities for a range of Penn State researchers, including faculty working on power electronics and 2D-device development.
"This new lab connects us more closely with MMEC and provides a unique opportunity to support training and workforce development as well as collaborative research with universities and industry partners across the consortium," Redwing said.
