The Department of Defense (DOD) is seeking proposals for the topic "Electronic quality ferroelectric III-Nitride epitaxy for device heterostructures" as part of their SBIR 24.4 Annual solicitation. The objective of this topic is to develop single crystalline epitaxial thin films and heterostructures of group III-IIIb-Nitride thin films for electronic device applications. The goal is to produce films that are scalable to 4-inch diameter wafer sizes or larger. The research aims to enable the development of useful products such as high operating temperature electronic memory, high temperature electronic circuits, and integrated nonlinear optical photonic circuits for UV-visible wavelengths.
In Phase I, the focus is on attaining the appropriate precursors for epitaxy and producing films lattice matched to GaN and other substrates. The goal is to assess the optical and electrical quality of the thin films and demonstrate ferroelectric behavior. Phase II continues the pursuit of single crystalline epitaxial thin films and heterostructures, with a focus on developing processes relevant to 4" or larger substrates. The goal is to fabricate devices for electronic memory applications and explore switching behavior. Optical properties and nonlinear optical functionality are also considered.
In Phase III, the aim is to produce epitaxial foundry services for electronic and photonic device regimes that utilize ferroelectric III-Nitride thin films. Collaboration with other research groups is encouraged to make accurate comparisons with other epitaxial approaches. The solicitation is open until March 31, 2025. For more information, visit the SBIR topic link or the solicitation agency website.