iBeam Materials, a U.S.-based company focusing on technologies for crystal-aligned coatings utilizing ion-beam-assisted deposition (IBAD) texturing, announced that Samsung Venture has invested in the company as Samsung’s strategic investments in Micro LED.

iBeam pioneers in the development of ion-beam crystal alignment of thin layers deposited on a variety of substrates for optoelectronic devices. Its breakthrough in LED technology enables LEDs to be manufactured on large-area substrates as opposed to the much smaller single-crystal wafers currently used in the industry, according to Samsung Ventures.

The approach of iBeam is to use a metal foil substrate which provides strength and heat-sinking for large-area, bendable and rollable displays. The company is also working on integrating Micro LED monolithically with an active matrix circuit GaN FETs.

(Image: iBeam)

InGaN LEDs and GaN HEMT (High Electron Mobility Transistor) devices are currently manufactured on single-crystal wafers that limit the size and thermal management as well as cost reduction. iBeam Materials has demonstrated LEDs and HEMT devices using a patented alternative process that allows manufacturers to deposit epitaxial GaN devices directly on a variety of substrates including thin, flexible large-area metal foils. This process delivers much lower thermal resistance and enables roll-to-roll manufacturing capability.