AIXTRON AG has announced a new order for an MOCVD reactor from MicroLink Devices, Inc., USA, a company engaged in the manufacture of HBT devices and the development of III-V solar cells.

The Niles, Illinois-based company placed the order for one AIX 2800G4-R MOCVD system in a 8x6-inch wafer configuration. Following delivery in the second quarter of 2011, it will be used for the production of solar cells and HBTs. The new reactor will be commissioned by the local AIXTRON support team working with MicroLink Devices’ engineers in their state-of-the-art fab.

Dr Noren Pan, President of MicroLink Devices, comments, “Since our founding in 2000, our MOCVD III-V semiconductor materials technology has enabled us to manufacture world-class, high-performance microwave transistors. We have recently developed a novel, high-efficiency, proprietary GaAs epitaxial lift-off (ELO) manufacturing process that will significantly lower the cost of solar cells. As with the company itself, our technologies have grown with AIXTRON equipment, so it was a straightforward decision to select a suitable production deposition system to bring our new products to market. With our existing capabilities now fully stretched we need to greatly increase our production capacity. The AIX 2800G4-R MOCVD system is the perfect answer and will bring us high throughput and manufacturing uniformity, while keeping a low cost-of-ownership.”

MicroLink Devices is a manufacturer of custom-designed semiconductor structures, which are used in microwave and optical communication products. Since 2000, the epitaxial wafers produced by MicroLink have been an essential input to the high speed communication industry. MicroLink Devices has also collaborated on research and development projects, the results of which have become widely-used commercial products.