Engineers develop first deep-UV microLED show chips for maskless photolithography

In a breakthrough set to revolutionize the semiconductor trade, the College of Engineering of the Hong Kong College of Science and Expertise (HKUST) has developed the world’s first-of-its-kind deep-ultraviolet (UVC) microLED show array for lithography machines. This enhanced effectivity UVC microLED has showcased the viability of a lowered value maskless photolithography by way of the supply of enough mild output energy density, enabling publicity of photoresist movies in a shorter time.

Carried out underneath the supervision of Prof. Kwok Hoi-Sing, Founding Director of the State Key Laboratory of Superior Shows and Optoelectronics Applied sciences at HKUST, the examine was a collaborative effort with the Southern College of Science and Expertise, and the Suzhou Institute of Nanotechnology of the Chinese language Academy of Sciences.

A lithography machine is essential tools for semiconductor manufacturing, making use of short-wavelength ultraviolet mild to make built-in circuit chips with numerous layouts. Nevertheless, conventional mercury lamps and deep ultraviolet LED mild sources have shortcomings equivalent to massive gadget measurement, low decision, excessive power consumption, low mild effectivity, and inadequate optical energy density.

To beat these challenges, the analysis group constructed a maskless lithography prototype platform and used it to manufacture the primary microLED gadget by utilizing deep UV microLED with maskless publicity, enhancing optical extraction effectivity, warmth distribution efficiency, and epitaxial stress reduction through the manufacturing course of.

Prof. Kwok highlighted, “The group achieved key breakthroughs for the primary microLED gadget together with excessive energy, excessive mild effectivity, high-resolution sample show, improved display screen efficiency and quick publicity capacity. This deep-UV microLED show chip integrates the ultraviolet mild supply with the sample on the masks. It supplies adequate irradiation dose for photoresist publicity in a short while, creating a brand new path for semiconductor manufacturing.”

“Lately, the low-cost and high-precision maskless lithography know-how of conventional lithography machines has turn into an R&D hotspot due to its capacity to regulate the publicity sample, present extra various customization choices, and save the price of making ready lithography masks. Photoresist-sensitive short-wavelength microLED know-how is subsequently vital to the impartial improvement of semiconductor tools,” Prof. Kwok defined.

“In contrast with different consultant works, our innovation options smaller gadget measurement, decrease driving voltage, increased exterior quantum effectivity, increased optical energy density, bigger array measurement, and better show decision. These key efficiency enhancements make the examine a world chief in all metrics,” mentioned Dr. Feng Feng, postdoctoral analysis fellow at HKUST’s Division of Digital and Laptop Engineering (ECE), concluded.

Their paper, titled “Excessive-Energy AlGaN Deep-Ultraviolet Micro-Gentle-Emitting Diode Shows for Maskless Photolithography“, has been printed within the journal Nature Photonics. It has since earned large recognition within the trade and was named by the tenth Worldwide Discussion board on Huge Bandgap Semiconductors (IFWS) as one of many prime ten advances in China’s third-generation semiconductor know-how in 2024.

Trying ahead, the group plans to proceed enhancing the efficiency of AlGaN deep ultraviolet microLEDs, enhance the prototype, and develop 2k to 8k high-resolution deep ultraviolet microLED show screens.

Dr. Feng is the primary creator, whereas Prof. Liu Zhaojun, Adjunct Affiliate Professor of HKUST’s ECE Division, who concurrently serves as an Affiliate Professor at Southern College of Science and Expertise, is the corresponding creator. Group members additionally embrace ECE postdoctoral analysis fellow Dr. Liu Yibo, Ph.D. graduate Dr. Zhang Ke, and collaborators from different establishments.