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News

27 September 2007

 

Crystal IS appoints Mueller

Maker of single-crystal aluminium nitride (AlN) substrates Crystal IS Inc of Green Island, NY, USA has appointed Dr Stephan Mueller as VP of Engineering.

According to the company, in 2006 it introduced the world’s first 2-inch single crystal, low defect AlN wafers for use in a production manufacturing environment. Mueller will be responsible for further developing these wafers into high quality, cost effective substrates both for mainstream external sales and for use in the company’s internal development program of high performance UV LEDs.

Mueller’s most recent position was at Cree, where he was principal scientist responsible for the management and coordination of many R&D and production projects in the field of wide bandgap semiconductors.

“I am very excited to join Crystal IS Inc at a time where the company is poised for commercial success after demonstrating some record breaking technological results” said Dr. Mueller. “We plan to build the crystal growth technology from the great foundations that have already been demonstrated to greater levels of consistency and manufacturability to develop substrates meeting the high quality levels at a cost effective price demanded by the semiconductor industry”.

Mueller currently holds the position of adjunct professor in the materials science department of North-Carolina State University. He received his Masters Degree in Physics and PhD in Materials Science at Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany through research into the growth of bulk wide bandgap semiconductor crystals.

“Stephan is internationally recognized for his achievements in the field of wide bandgap semiconductors and has tremendous knowledge of crystal growth at volume production levels that will be key as Crystal IS continues on its path to commercialization,” said Ding Day, CEO of Crystal IS.

With 14 years of experience in the growth of wide bandgap semiconductors, Mueller has published a book on the growth of bulk wide bandgap semiconductor crystals, and co-authored more than 50 publications in refereed journals.

AlN substrates are used in the manufacture of high performance LEDs and laser diodes which are used in such applications as high density data storage (blue lasers), and water and air purification systems (UV-LEDs). Earlier this year, Crystal IS announced that it aims to supplement its AlN substrate manufacturing business with full-scale manufacturing of UV-LEDs.

See related items:

Crystal IS buys MOCVD reactors to develop UV LEDs

Market for GaN and AlN substrates forecast to exceed $440m by 2010

Search: AlN substrates UV LEDs

Visit Crystal IS: http://www.crystal-is.com