IQE Introduces Customisable Silicon on Insulato...

Cardiff, UK - 10 October 2011: IQE announces availability of ultrasmooth,
customisable silicon on insulator (SOI) with improved thickness and doping
control.

Since its introduction into main-stream manufacturing SOI has been integrated
into a steadily growing number of applications. These include advanced
microprocessors, high-voltage devices and complex MEMs and sensors. The
significant electrostatic benefits of replacing bulk silicon wafers with SOI
include reduction of parasitic device capacitance and resistance to latch-up.
SOI also has very desirable mechanical properties e.g. provision of an excellent
etch-stop at the interface between the silicon device layer and the buried
oxide. This facilitates substrate removal for applications such as MEMS and
sensors.

SOI is manufactured using a variety of methods which include:

  * Hydrogen implanted layer transfer (HILT) where a layer of implanted hydrogen
    atoms produces a cleave plane below the surface of a donor wafer. This thin
    layer is then exfoliated from the donor wafer to an oxidised handle wafer
    and annealed. This method produces thin body SOI with excellent cross wafer
    thickness uniformity. However, it's limited by the depth at which an
    implanter can form a cleave plane in the donor wafer. SOI wafers produced by
    this method have an upper thickness limit of between 1 - 2 ums. The range of
    available doping options is also typically limited.
  * Bond and etch-back involves directly bonding an oxidized silicon wafer with
    a second substrate. The majority of the second substrate is subsequently
    removed, by a combination of physical grinding and chemical etching to leave
    a thinner device layer. The major limitation of this method is the poor
    control of cross wafer uniformity which becomes more challenging as more of
    the device layer is removed.
  * Other methods include ELTRAN and SIMOX but these are not commonly used in
    high volume SOI manufacturing.


IQE Silicon Ltd is now able to offer a new range of SOI products and one of the
few commercial opportunities that allows customers to tune the SOI parameters to
their own specifications in terms of doping type and device layer thickness. We
are also able to provide customised SOI in volumes from as little as 50 wafers
for smaller, niche-driven applications.

Another important differentiator is that our SOI device layers are typically
epitaxial silicon films which exhibits excellent crystal quality, improved gate
oxide integrity and are COP (crystal originating particle) -free.  Because we're
able to determine the structure of the device layer epitaxially, it is possible
to have very tight control of the important film parameters whilst at the same
time having the flexibility to produce structures which aren't available using
current SOI production methods. This includes SOI with multiple silicon layers
with different doping or multiple layers of Si, Ge and SiGe alloys

In order to address the issues highlighted by our customers IQE Silicon
Compounds has launched its own SOI product range, offering high uniformity on
both thin and thick device layers. We are also able to address the issue of SOI
availability in small order quantities of between 50 and 500 wafers. The primary
demand for SOI wafers is in 100mm, 150mm and 200mm wafer sizes and IQE can
provide the complete range of products at these diameters.


CONTACTS:

Technical/Sales: IQE Silicon  ([phone])
Rob Harper
Moz Fisher

Press: IQE plc ([phone])
Chris Meadows





Note to Editors

IQE is the leading global supplier of advanced semiconductor wafers with
products that cover a diverse range of applications, supported by an innovative
outsourced foundry services portfolio that allows the Group to provide a 'one
stop shop' for the wafer needs of the world's leading semiconductor
manufacturers.

IQE uses advanced crystal growth technology (epitaxy) to manufacture and supply
bespoke semiconductor wafers ('epi-wafers') to the major chip manufacturing
companies, who then use these wafers to make the chips which form the key
components of virtually all high technology systems. IQE is unique in being able
to supply wafers using all of the leading crystal growth technology platforms.

IQE's products are found in many leading-edge consumer, communication, computing
and industrial applications, including a complete range of wafer products for
the wireless industry, such as mobile handsets and wireless infrastructure, Wi-
Fi, WiMAX, base stations, GPS, and satellite communications; optical
communications, optical storage (CD, DVD), laser optical mouse, laser printers &
photocopiers, thermal imagers, leading-edge medical products, barcode, ultra
high brightness LEDs, a variety of advanced silicon based systems and high
efficiency concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) solar cells.

The manufacturers of these chips are increasingly seeking to outsource wafer
production to specialist foundries such as IQE in order to reduce overall wafer
costs and accelerate time to market.

IQE also provides bespoke R&D services to deliver customised materials for
specific applications and offers specialist technical staff to manufacture to
specification either at its own facilities or on the customer's own sites. The
Group is also able to leverage its global purchasing volumes to reduce the cost
of raw materials. In this way IQE's outsourced services, provide compelling
benefits in terms of flexibility and predictability of cost, thereby
significantly reducing operating risk.

IQE comprises eight  operating facilities located in Cardiff (two), Milton
Keynes and Bath in the UK; in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Somerset, New Jersey and
Spokane, Washington in the USA; and Singapore. The Group also has 11 sales
offices located in major economic centres worldwide.






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Source: IQE plc via Thomson Reuters ONE

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