Solar-Tectic and Blue Wave patent new displays tech

Solar-Tectic LLC and Blue Wave Semiconductors have patented a material they have developed for improving the performance of thin-film transistors (TFTs) for making crystalline films on glass at low temperatures.

Solar-Tectic LLC and Blue Wave Semiconductors have announced that a material they have developed for improving the performance of thin-film transistors (TFTs) used in displays has been patented by the US Patents and Trademarks Office.

The patent (US No. 9,856,578) is for making crystalline films on glass at low temperatures with a high degree of crystal orientation or 'texture'.

The material is MgO, an insulator that is not only transparent, but also has very high thermal conductivity, high thermal stability, and a high melting point. Importantly, the new material has an unusual (111) orientation which can enhance the preferred orientations of silicon and germanium.

"With this material, we can now grow oriented silicon films with high mobility on which III-V materials such as GaN can then be grown with orientation for microLEDs. GaN on silicon thin-film would allow for monolithic microLED fabrication," says Ashok Chadhari, CEO of Solar-Tectic.

The thin-film can be grown in a wide range of thicknesses, and deposited on a variety of technical glasses, including soda-lime or alkali-free glass, at temperatures as low as ~450°C or lower.

Last month Solar-Tectic LLC announced an entirely new low temperature process for making TFTs, which can replace LTPS (low temperature polysilicon) and IGZO-CAAC, and this MgO material is an essential part of that technology.

Solar-Tectic LLC specialises in high quality inexpensive thin-film solutions for the solar, display, and glass industries.

Blue Wave Semiconductors provides thin film deposition equipment and provides innovative thin films and coating services to R&D customers, federal government, and industrial partners.