Substrates for the next generation electronics and photonics

Substrates play a significant role for electronic and photonic devices and systems that have developed into a dominant global industry. The ever present need in this industry to improve device performance and reduce cost, calls for the continued modifications of silicon substrate wafers and III-IV compound semiconductor manufacturing technologies. The use of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates with strain introduced in the active silicon layer can help achieve improved circuit performance without geometry scaling and management of heat dissipated during circuit operation much easily than in the case of bulk substrates. The III-IV semiconductors distinguish themselves from silicon by generally higher electron mobility, while from photonic applications standpoint by featuring predominantly a direct bandgap. As a result of these differences, the III-IV devices feature different designs and different manufacturing needs than their Si counterparts.