The G10-AsP system from Aixtron, headquartered in Herzogenrath near Aachen, enables the mass production of micro LED displays and laser components.
The fully automated deposition process makes mass production of such LEDs with chip sizes around 10 µm a reality. G10-AsP meets the requirements of high-volume production of InP (indium phosphide) lasers and VCSELs (vertical cavity surface emitting lasers). The 200 mm AsP batch system features automatic reactor cleaning and wafer loading with a C2C (cassette to cassette) automation module. For 200 mm wafers, the front end can be equipped with SMIF (Standard Mechanical Interface) pods to minimize the exposure of the epitaxial wafers to the room environment. After each process run or after production for highest output of epi-wafers per time unit, the chamber can be readjusted with reactor cleaning if required. The platform is based on the Planetary Reactor principle, which combines a multi-wafer batch reactor concept with the rotation of the individual wafers.
Improved uniformity forms the basis for mass production of micro LED displays. It is based on a special stamp or matrix transfer in which thousands of LED chips (arrays) are picked up and transferred at a time. Since the pixel arrays are transferred from the epi-wafer substrate, uniformity is required so that a smartwatch or smartphone does not show color deviations in one corner of the display.
Micro-LEDs will be used for the next generation of TV, augmented reality and vehicle displays. Analysts expect these areas to be the largest market for LEDs in five to ten years' time.
