News

8 September 2010

 

SETI and Kyma to co-develop high-efficiency deep UV LEDs on low-defect AlGaN substrates

Deep ultraviolet (UV) LED maker Sensor Electronic Technology Inc (SETI) of Columbia, SC, USA has entered a joint development agreement with Kyma Technologies Inc of Raleigh, NC, USA, which provides crystalline III-nitride semiconductor materials including gallium nitride (GaN) and aluminum nitride (AlN), to develop low-defect aluminium gallium nitride (AlGaN) substrates and high-performance optoelectronic and electronic devices based on these substrates.

AlN and GaN substrates are preferred for device layer stacks which are AlN-rich and GaN-rich, respectively. For device layer stacks that have an intermediate preferred lattice constant (such as UV LEDs and certain next-generation high-frequency and high-power electronics) AlGaN substrates are preferred.

SETI will center its device development efforts on next-generation high-efficiency deep UV LEDs based on these novel substrates as it grows its markets in high-power applications such as water disinfection.

SETI claims to be the world's only commercial manufacturer of deep UV LEDs and LED lamps. With a product portfolio extending from wavelengths of 240nm through to 400nm, SETI serves a wide range of markets including sensing and instrumentation. With recent announcements of high-power single-chip LEDs exceeding 30mW and with high-power lamps commercially available, SETI has been experiencing rapid growth in the disinfection/sterilization market.

"The LED performance improvements that will be enabled by developments under this agreement will help us grow the foundation we have already built in the disinfection market, and will maintain our position as leaders in deep UV LED products," says SETI's president & CEO Remis Gaska.  

SETI recently completed a US National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I program to develop a prototype of a commercially viable all-LED-based portable water disinfection system.

"We appreciate the opportunity to work with SETI to develop a low-defect AlGaN substrate product line, which should benefit a range of advanced nitride semiconductor device technologies," comments Kyma's president & CEO Keith Evans.

SETI and Kyma will both be presenting at the International Workshop on Nitride Semiconductors (IWN 2010) in Tampa, FL (19–24 September).

See related items:

Large chip improvements to deep-ultraviolet output power

Kyma launches AlN and GaN on Si template lines

Deep ultraviolet power boost at shorter wavelengths

SET wins $500,000 SBIR award from NSF to advance deep UV LEDs

SET claims record performance for large-area single-chip deep UV LEDs

Search: Sensor Electronic Technology UV LEDs Kyma GaN AlN AlGaN substrates

Visit: www.s-et.com

Visit: www.kymatech.com

For more on UV LEDs: Latest issue of Semiconductor Today