In February 2018, Sino Nitride Semiconductor Co., Ltd (hereinafter referred to as Sino Nitride)’s GaN substrate mass production technology achieved major breakthrough. Sino Nitride, for the first time in China, conducted pilot mass production of 4 inch free-standing GaN substrate (Free-standing GaN Substrate, picture 1), which makes the company a leading enterprise in global GaN substrate industry.
Picture 1: 4 inch free-standing GaN substrate
Picure 2: free-standing GaN substrate, AFM picture
There are two technical difficulties in mass production of 4 inch free-standing GaN substrate: First, growth technology of large-size GaN single crystal material; second, grinding and polishing technology for large GaN chips. Sino Nitride successfully developed HVPE equipment with proprietary intellectual property rights and obtained 4 inch GaN single crystal material; meanwhile the company overcame the difficulty in grinding and polishing technology for GaN substrate (picture 2) and established a self-owned and complete production line for GaN substrate grinding and polishing. The company has successfully achieved the pilot mass production of 4 inch free-standing GaN substrate; it is anticipated to achieve regular mass production from the end of 2018 (picture 3). Sino Nitride’s breakthrough in mass production technology of 4 inch free-standing GaN substrate has brought China to a strategic high point in the global competition in third generation semiconductor industry; it supports China’s transformation from following to leading in global market.
Picture 3: Planning for Sino Nitride’s free-standing GaN substrate product in 2018.