III-V nitride semiconductor materials technology is important to the United States in the next generation of power semiconductor and short wavelength optoelectronics. However, the quality and availability of substrates -- the basis of any semiconductor technology - has not kept pace with either technical or commercial requirements. This SBIR Phase I project, explores the growth of single crystal aluminum nitride (AIN) using modified sublimation techniques. In Phase II, the design and process parameters for the production of AIN single crystals are expected to be optimized, and high quality AIN single crystal substrates will be used for the fabrication of prototype blue LED devices. A fundamental III-V nitride technology advance is expected by correlating growth conditions with the occurrence and subsequent elimination of specific defect structures. In Phase III, the grantee expects to scale the crystal growth process to enable the manufacture of specific devices and to supply substrates in order to accelerate the growth of a III-V nitride based semiconductor industry.
