News

20 October 2006

 

Saint-Gobain to develop substrates for BluGlass’ GaN-on-glass devices

Australian GaN-on-glass specialist BluGlass Ltd has signed an 18 month joint development agreement to work with France’s Saint-Gobain Recherche (SGR), the main corporate research center of materials supplier Saint-Gobain Group.

SGR has a particular focus on specialty glass formation, glass processing, and thin-film deposition technologies, and will develop specifically engineered substrates for BluGlass’ gallium nitride layers and devices.

BluGlass was spun off from the III-nitride department of Macquarie University in Sydney in October 2005, and this September raised US$7.7m in an initial public offering and listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. CEO David Jordan says that strategic alliances with global companies such as Saint-Gobain are an integral part of the development and commercialization of its technology. “Working with a technology leader such as SGR makes sense for BluGlass, given their ability to engineer substrates optimally suited to the BluGlass deposition process,” he adds.

“We are already a major supplier of high-quality LED substrates in sapphire and a leader in the glass industry,” claims Saint-Gobain’s CTO Dr Didier Roux. “We believe BluGlass has promising breakthrough technology and that Saint-Gobain can contribute to its development and commercialization by developing specifically engineered substrates,” he adds.  

Substrate development will take place in SGR’s facilities in Paris, followed by GaN deposition at BluGlass’ pilot production plant in Sydney. Semiconductor material characterization and device quality will be assessed in both France and Australia.

See related item.

Visit: http://www.bluglass.com.au

Visit: http://www.saint-gobain-recherche.com