NSF Award
9983415
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will produce a commercial simulation tool to design and optimize Metalorganic Vapor Phase Epitaxy (MOVPE) systems for the fabrication of III-V materials. The Phase I study has demonstrated the proof-of-concept of using advanced models to optimize MOVPE equipment and processes. Specifically the effects of radiative heat transfer, gas flow field, gas phase/surface chemistry and electromagnetic induction heating on the deposition rate/uniformity were quantified using the models. Following preliminary validation, the models were tested for both two and three-dimensional commercial reactor geometries. The proposed Phase II project will focus on the necessary model refinements and development identified during the Phase I study. Specifically, improvements are sought in the areas of modeling chemistry of ternary and quaternary III-V materials, establishing the relationship between strain and growth rate, and development of mechanisms, which can model deposition accurately both in the kinetic as well as the mass-transport regime. Comprehensive databases for optical, thermodynamic/transport properties, and reaction mechanisms will be implemented to ensure the commercial success of the proposed simulation tool. Model developments will be followed by extensive validation studies on commercial MOCVD reactors, to be conducted in collaboration with Aixtron AG, one of the leading MOVPE equipment manufacturers. Validations will also be performed on reactor geometries and cases available from the open literature as well as research groups currently working in collaboration with CFDRC. Phase III work will focus on commercialization aspects such as improvements in software frontends, improved data handling and development of virtual reactor prototypes for commercial use.<br/><br/> The availability of the proposed simulation tool will facilitate the design, optimization and scale-up (to large wafer sizes) of reactors/processes for MOVPE. This will result in lower equipment and fabrication costs and improved uniformity/quality of the grown materials. Thus, the simulation tool will be an enabling technology in eliminating a major road block in the commercialization of III-V MOVPE technology. This will also have a positive impact on the growth of the optoelectronic device and telecommunication industries.
