Technical Feasibility, Throughput and Cost of Manufacturing InP High Speed Electronic Devices in a Multiproject Multimaterial Production Facility

与无线通信的巨大需求相称，对功率更高、工作频率更高、线性度更好、效率更高、价格可接受的电子设备的需求正在稳步增长。由砷化镓（GaAs）、氮化镓（GaN）和磷化铟（InP）等化合物半导体制成的器件能够提供所需的性能。据行业分析师估计，到2012年，此类设备的InP市场份额将达到3000万美元。产品层面的市场总价值是这个数字的倍数，包括高性能组件可以提供重要甚至至关重要的市场区别。InP设备在民用应用中提供重要的鉴别器，如点对点微波链路和通信、车载雷达、国防应用，如电子战、导弹导引头和雷达，以及射电天文学等专业研究应用。后一种应用代表了早期市场的很大一部分，是英国和该项目的合作伙伴特别有利的市场组成部分。STFC为曼彻斯特大学提供了大量的研究资金，用于开发InP低噪声放大器和高速模拟数字转换器，这些转换器可能应用于平方公里阵列（SKA）国际射电望远镜。有了这笔资金，曼彻斯特已经在InP中展示了新型晶体管器件，其应用范围超出了SKA，即移动通信和其他民用市场。曼彻斯特大学和INEX之间的这项技术转移项目的目标是建立INEX高速InP设备生产的技术可行性，吞吐量和成本基础。这是建立英国先进InP组件供应链战略的第一步。英国需要确保继续获得关键的先进组件和电路，这在国防技术战略中得到了强调。在美国对高速电子元件实施出口管制的时候，英国的生产解决方案将有助于实现技术战略委员会的愿望，即保持信息和通信技术作为英国技术激励创新的关键领域。供应链的演示，特别是InP设备的生产解决方案，对于英国确保其在平方公里阵列国际射电望远镜建设阶段的潜在投资的商业回报也至关重要，计划于2012-2020年期间进行。INEX是第一个由TSB支持的微型和纳米技术设施，负责在英国发展强大的微型和纳米技术产业。同样，曼彻斯特大学也受益于公共和私营部门在材料增长、加工和测试设备方面的大量基础设施投资。这个Mini-PIPSS项目利用了这种基础设施投资。INEX和曼彻斯特的材料增长设施都符合ISO9001:2000质量标准。预计最终生产活动的开始时间为3年。根据这项可行性研究的结果，我们将需要整合在此试验的各个工艺，以在2009/10年度制造、测试和表征适合已确定可行市场的晶体管，并在2010/11年度进行寿命测试和可靠性试验，以及工艺维持和产量改善研究。因此，我们希望在2011年向市场投放评估样品，并在2012年开始生产。该合作伙伴关系已经与该技术的几个潜在最终用户建立了牢固的联系。我们预计到2012年将在INEX和曼彻斯特创造多达19个高技能工作岗位，此外还将在供应链下游公司创造或保障就业机会

The demand for electronic devices exhibiting higher power, higher frequency of operation, better linearity and improved efficiency at acceptable price is increasing steadily, commensurate with the huge demand for wireless communications. Devices fabricated from compound semiconductors such as Gallium Arsenide (GaAs), Gallium Nitride (GaN), and Indium Phosphide (InP) are able to provide the required performance. The InP component of the market for such devices has been estimated by industry analysts to be $30M by 2012. The total value of the market at the product level is a multiple of this figure, and inclusion of high performance components can provide significant or even crucial market discriminators. InP devices provide important discriminators in civilian applications such as point-to-point microwave links and communications, vehicular radar, in defence applications such as electronic warfare, missile seekers and radar, and specialist research applications such as radio astronomy. This latter application represents a significant proportion of the early market, and is a component of the market which the UK and the partners in this project are particularly well placed to secure. The STFC has provided substantial research funding to Manchester University for the development of InP low noise amplifiers and high speed analogue to digital converters for possible application in the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) international radio telescope. With this funding, Manchester has demonstrated novel transistor devices in InP with applications beyond the SKA, namely in mobile communications and other civilian markets. The objective of this technology transfer project between Manchester University and INEX is to establish the technical feasibility, throughput capacity and cost base for high speed InP device production at INEX. It represents the first step in a strategy to establish a UK supply chain for advanced InP components. The need for the UK to ensure continued access to critical advanced components and circuits has been highlighted in the Defence Technology Strategy. At a time where export controls are imposed by the US on high speed electronic components, a UK production solution will assist realisation of the Technology Strategy Board's desire to maintain Information and Communication Technology as a key area for UK technology-inspired innovation. Demonstration of a supply chain and in particular a production solution for InP devices may also be critical to the UK securing a commercial return from its potential investment in the construction phase of the Square Kilometre Array international radio telescope, scheduled for the period 2012-2020. INEX was the first of the TSB supported micro- and nano-technology facilities charged with development of a strong micro- and nano-technology industry in the UK. Similarly, Manchester University has benefited from substantial infrastructure investment in materials growth, processing and test equipment from both the public and private sectors. This Mini-PIPSS project leverages this infrastructure investment. Both INEX and the materials growth facility at Manchester operate to ISO9001:2000 quality standards. The timescale to commencement of eventual production activity is estimated to be 3 years. Subject to the outcome of this feasibility study, we will need to integrate the individual processes trialled here to fabricate, test and characterise transistors appropriate for identified viable markets in 2009/10, and perform life-test and reliably trials and process sustaining and yield improvement studies in 2010/11. We therefore expect to seed the market with evaluation samples in 2011 and commence production in 2012. The partnership already has strong links with several potential end users of the technology. We anticipate creation of up to 19 highly skilled jobs at INEX and Manchester by 2012, in addition to jobs created or safeguarded within downstream companies in the supply chain