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

In a breakthrough set to revolutionize the semiconductor trade, the Faculty 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 price maskless photolithography via the availability of ample mild output energy density, enabling publicity of photoresist movies in a shorter time.

Carried out below 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 varied layouts. Nonetheless, conventional mercury lamps and deep ultraviolet LED mild sources have shortcomings similar to massive system measurement, low decision, excessive vitality consumption, low mild effectivity, and inadequate optical energy density.

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

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

“In recent times, the low-cost and high-precision maskless lithography expertise of conventional lithography machines has develop into an R&D hotspot due to its skill to regulate the publicity sample, present extra numerous customization choices, and save the price of making ready lithography masks. Photoresist-sensitive short-wavelength microLED expertise is subsequently essential to the impartial growth of semiconductor tools,” Prof. Kwok defined.

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

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

Trying ahead, the workforce 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 writer, 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 writer. Staff members additionally embrace ECE postdoctoral analysis fellow Dr. Liu Yibo, Ph.D. graduate Dr. Zhang Ke, and collaborators from different establishments.