NSF Award
0060505
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is for the development of a neutral, high<br/>flux/fluence nitrogen atom beam source for application to the high rate growth of III-V nitride<br/>semiconducting materials over large areas. The proposed source is based on Physical Sciences Inc.'s<br/>(PSI's) proprietary MID-JET technology. This technology employs an electrode-less discharge<br/>contained by vortex flow, rather than a dielectric tube commonly used in traditional sources. The<br/>discharge is formed at 1 atm which results in efficient Ion recombination and a charge-free beam.<br/>Previously, high flux, high fluence oxygen and fluorine atom beams have been demonstrated using a<br/>MID-JET with a gas temperature of ~ 3000 K. However, to produce a nitrogen atom beam, the basic<br/>configuration of the MID-JET must be changed to obtain the > 5000 K temperatures required to<br/>dissociate nitrogen. In Phase I, PSI will examine at least two new configurations via modeling, select<br/>one, and fabricate and test an experimental source for nitrogen. Techniques for combining the nitrogen<br/>beam with a gallium source will be examined via detailed numerical modeling. If successful, PSI will<br/>demonstrate a charge-free nitrogen atom source with a fluence of about 10 21 atoms/s, 2 to 3 orders of<br/>magnitude higher than that generated by currently available sources.<br/><br/>This project will develop a charge-free, high flux/fluence nitrogen atom beam for the growth of III-V<br/>nitride materials which can replace existing plasma-based tools. The source can allow higher growth<br/>rates over larger areas of high quality material with application to the fabrication of high power/high<br/>temperature semiconductor devices and blue illumination sources (including those for flat panel<br/>displays).
