Collaborative Research Projects

SAFC Hitech^® Research Programs

With a firm commitment to research and development to bring new products to the market place in a timely fashion to enhance current and future customer processes, SAFC Hitech has achieved a global reputation based on state-of-the-art science. To maintain a highly focused precursor development program input from all our customers is highly valued and furthermore collaborative research projects with single or multiple groups in the supply chain have historically provided ground breaking advances.

SAFC Hitech remains highly active in a wide range of chemical development fields and its well respected research team continues to be highly sought as the partner of choice to provide solutions to new technology barriers. The success of the team in securing local, regional and international financial support to perform this work is reflected in its correct funded projects as listed below and highlights the economic relevance of this sector to the technology advances targeted at government levels across the world.

These projects highlight the diversity of topics under investigation and the world class caliber of the institutions both academic and industrial who are our collaborators.

UV-TECH

Title: UV assisted technologies for multifunctional materials production
Partners: Tyndall Institute, UCL, LETI, Fiat, ST Microelectronics, IPM, LTM
Summary: The project addresses the need for integration of nanocrystal technologies with conventional processes aims to develop a photo assisted technique capable of fabrication nanocrystals in matrix structures in a highly uniform fashion. The combination of technologies opens up many new opportunities to produce novel devices and products. A range of precursors suited to the technique are required and SAFC Hitech will also study compatibility issues between material systems to ensure source stability and performance are optimised.

REALISE

Title: Rare earth oxide atomic layer deposition for innovations in electronics
Partners: Tyndall Institute, MDM-INFM, ST Microelectronics, Qimonda, FXP, CEMES, ASM Microchemistry, Liverpool and Helsinki Uni
Summary: The project will address the deposition of high permittivity rare earth oxide layers with sub-nanometre control along with the integration of these films into innovative memory and communication devices. The deposition technique of choice will be ALD with liquid injection and vapour transport of precursors possible. A variety of novel precursors will be investigated and the process parameters established to achieve the desired film quality. Scale up issues will also be addressed.

MEMSPULSE

Title: Wafer scale vapour phase processing for implanted healthcare
Partners: Point 35, Innos, Qinetiq, SMC, Semefab
Summary: The project will develop technologies to allow wafer scale fabrication of a range of medical application devices. Upgraded MEMS definition approaches and improved biocompatibility will be addressed aimed at the introduction of a new industrial platform suited to the mass production of such things as microfluidic diagnostic tools, sensors and actuators. Novel sources for various process stages will be investigated along with precursors for surface modification. All aspects of the fabrication process for optimum chemicals will be studied.

3D-DEMO

Title: Single step 3D deposition of complex nanopatterned multifunctional oxide thin films
Partners: EPFL, SAES Getters, ABCD, SCIPROM, CNRS FEMTO, NIL Rumania, ORC Southampton
Summary: The project will focus on thin film deposition using Laser Assisted Chemical Beam Epitaxy and new effusive source technologies. This technique allows both 3D growth and patterning in the sub micron range. The target materials are ferroelectric oxides for applications in integrated optoelectronics, optics and photonics. Novel sources and their combinations to form complex oxides will be studied to optimise performance in this new approach to layer deposition.

MACOMUFI

Title: Manipulating the coupling in multiferroic films
Partners: Thales, Nanotec, Technoorg Linda, Crystec, CNRS CRISMAT, UMP, ICMCB and LMGP, Bonn, Liege, Groningen, Geneva, Barcelona Uni
Summary: The general project objective is to understand, synthesise and control novel robust multiferroic materials in thin films that exhibit a significant magnetoelectric coupling at room temperature. The knowledge and materials developed will be applied to many important electronics market segments. Novel sources for various CVD techniques will be studied to afford the desired alloy compositions to achieve improved layer properties. All aspects of the fabrication process for optimum chemicals will be studied.

FOREMOST

Title: Integration of 45nm CMOS technology
Partners: ST Microelectronic, Philips Semiconductor, Motorola, ASM, Trikon, LETI, INPG, CNRS, Bull, Air Liquide, Qualiflow, Lamers, Jobin Yvon, Aixtron, LEICA, IMEC, Jülich, FhG Erlangen
Summary: The project aims to develop high level CMOS technology and critically to achieve integration on a 45nm scale. High k dielectric/metal as a gate system is to be developed using a variety of deposition techniques. Other topics covered in the project will ensure all layers and processing are optimised to allow next generation chip technology to be introduced to a 300mm production process.

SOLFLEX

Title: Low temperature sol-gel deposition of novel conductors on flexible plastic substrates
Partners: GEM, MCE, Cadillac Plastics, TWI, Universities of Birmingham and Swansea
Summary: The Solflex project will develop novel enabling technologies in both coating materials and processes to deliver inorganic conductive tracks onto a range of plastics substrates, particularly for flexible displays. Sol-gel and novel printing methods will be studied at <150ºC for conventional and innovative systems.

ETOE 2

Title: Advanced lighting, lasers and displays
Partners: CIP, Bookham, LSA, Sheffield and Surrey Uni
Summary: The project goal is develop a reliable technology for higher temperature operation of long wavelength optoelectronic components to reduce power and cost whilst adding functionality. The partners will investigate advanced integrated processing for devices including the use of novel precursors for insitu etching of Al Q structures.

PROMISE

Title: Improved processes and materials for energy saving glazing
Partners: Pilkington, Liverpool Uni
Summary: Low emissivity glass is playing an increasing role in improving building energy efficiency with a key feature a thin coating with appropriate refractive index to capture solar energy and reduce heat loss. Alternative precursors and deposition technologies will be developed to enable next generation products to be brought to market for low impact buildings.

MAXCAPS

Title: Materials for next generation capacitors and memories
Partners: ASMI, ST Microelectronics, NXP, Infineon, IMEC, Genitech, Conti Temic, CEA-LETI, Bronkhorst, Oxford Instruments, Air Liquide, R3T, IHP, Aixtron, Tyndall, TU Eindhoven, Helsinki Uni
Summary: The project aims to develop high k capacitor modules with metal electrodes for future memory and capacitor applications. ALD, PEALD and CVD, AVD technologies will be developed with new precursors designed specifically for each deposition technique to achieve optimum performance. In addition phase change memory modules will be targeted.

AFRL

Title: Novel precursors for the atomic layer deposition of nanometric structures
Partners: AFRL
Summary: The project aims to develop new molecules specifically designed for improved performance in ALD. Control of layer thickness, morphology and composition will be targeted with individual optimisation for a number of materia systemes. In particular films suited to next generation electronic applications will be fabricated.