SBIR Phase I: Low Cost Scalable Manufacturing of Patterned Sapphire Substrates (PSS) for High Efficiency LEDs

该小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目涉及开发高效图案化蓝宝石衬底的低成本制造工艺，用于更便宜和更节能的发光二极管（LED）。 已发现图案化蓝宝石衬底可改善氮化镓外延层的质量且增强LED装置的光提取效率。 该项目将专注于通过采用独特的平面化技术开发新型高效图案化蓝宝石衬底。 预期这样的衬底导致改善的膜生长和增强的光提取效率，同时降低制造成本。该技术的可行性将在第一阶段进行论证，第二阶段将重点关注该技术快速商业化的规模扩大和可制造性问题。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力在于它能够提高固态照明产品的效率并降低其成本。 基于LED的固态照明设备由于其潜在的非常高的效率而被期望开始取代当今占主导地位的低效白炽灯和荧光灯。 照明消耗了美国总发电量的20%以上，占商业和住宅建筑用电量的近30%。 该项目开发的技术将提高高亮度LED的效率并降低其价格，使其与荧光灯和白炽灯相比更具竞争力。 最后，低成本图案化蓝宝石衬底的国内制造将导致在美国创造高薪制造业就业机会。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project deals with development of a low-cost manufacturing process for high-efficiency patterned sapphire substrates for cheaper and more energy-efficient light emitting diodes (LEDs). Patterned sapphire substrates have been found to improve the quality of gallium nitride epi-layers and enhance the light extraction efficiency of LED devices. The project will focus on the development of a novel high-efficiency patterned sapphire substrate by employing a unique planarization technology. Such a substrate is expected to lead to improved film growth and enhanced light extraction efficiency, while at the same time reducing manufacturing costs. The feasibility of this technology will be demonstrated in Phase I, with Phase II focused on scale-up and manufacturability issues for rapid commercialization of this technology.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project lie in its ability to increase the efficiency and reduce the cost of solid state lighting products. LED-based solid state lighting devices, because of their potentially very high efficiency, are expected to begin to supplant the inefficient incandescent and fluorescent lamps which are dominant today. Lighting consumes over 20% of the total electricity generated in the US and nearly 30% of electricity used in commercial and residential buildings. The technology to be developed in this project would increase the efficiency and reduce the price of high-brightness LEDs, making them more competitive with fluorescent and incandescent lamps. Finally, domestic manufacturing of low-cost patterned sapphire substrates will result in the creation of high-paying manufacturing jobs in the US.