Nanotechnology Now - Press Release: SMI Receive 3 Phase I SBIR awards from the Army Research Office

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Typical pressure monitor trace obtained during ALD of an oxide film using an SMI ALD reactor.

Abstract:
Structured Materials Industries, Inc. (SMI) announced today, October 19th 2012, that it has been awarded three Phase I Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program grants from the U.S. Army Research Office.

SMI Receive 3 Phase I SBIR awards from the Army Research Office

Piscataway, NJ | Posted on October 20th, 2012

Award 1: "Atomic Layer Deposition of PbZrxTi1-xO3 Thin Films for Piezo-MEMS Applications"

In this two phase project, SMI will demonstrate a process to deposit extremely uniform films of piezoelectric materials for Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS). SMI will use Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) to achieve the required thickness uniformity and property control. ALD is an advanced thin film deposition technology, which use alternating pulses of reactants, as shown in Figure 1. The resulting Piezoelectric MEMS technology will enable micro robotic devices, for future biomedical, imaging and communication applications.

Award 2:

High Performance InAs and InN Semiconductor Gas Sensors"

In this two phase project, SMI will demonstrate low-cost, planar gas sensors, with high sensitivity and high selectivity. Gas sensors are critical to many existing and emerging applications in industry, defense and homeland security. SMI will use their Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) technology to produce InAs and InN films, along with surface functionalization layers to develop the low-cost, high performance gas sensors.

Award 3

"HOVPE Growth of High Quality AlxGa1-xN on AlN substrates"

In this two phase project, SMI will demonstrate growth methods to produce high quality AlxGa1-xN films on bulk AlN substrates. AlxGa1-xN and the related group III-Nitride materials are critical to advanced products such as high speed electronics, photovoltaics, and blue/UV lasers and LED's. Thus far, commercial implementation of these products has been hampered by the lack of suitable deposition processes on non-native substrates such as AlN. SMI will apply their Hydride Metal-Organic Vapor Phase Epitaxy (HOVPE) technology to produce high quality AlxGa1-xN films with low defect density on AlN substrates, and enable a new generation of affordable AlxGa1-xN devices.

Dr. Gary S. Tompa, SMI's President stated, "SMI has a long history of applying SBIR, STTR, and commercially funded projects in order to develop and commercialize MOCVD tool and device technologies. In general we do this with technology end users as partners. Our goal is to better enable our customers - government, university, and commercial - to achieve their goals; whether advancing research or making better products (such as LED contacts). We do this by developing and producing user friendly MOCVD growth tools and components, process enhancements, and new device materials for researchers addressing a wide range of material systems and applications. Product development is enhanced through use of our in-house applications laboratory.

Our systems have been found to be well suited, by our customers and collaborators/partners, for oxides such as ferroelectrics, multiferroics, piezoelectrics, transparent conductors, superconductors, 2D electron gas structures, nanowires, and insulators for a wide range of device applications. We are most happy seeing researchers use our tools to expand the knowledge base of a wide range of material systems and contribute to technology advancement in general."

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Contacts:
Structured Materials Industries, Inc.
Unit 102/103, 201 Circle Drive N.
Piscataway, New Jersey 08854
Phone: 732.302.9274
Fax: 732.302.9275

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