GT Advanced Technologies Enters a Development and Licensing Agreement with Soitec to Develop and Commercialize a High Productivity Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy (HVPE) System for Producing Low-Cost GaN Template Substrates
HVPE system expected to lower the cost of LED production and accelerate
adoption in commercial and residential lighting
NASHUA, N.H. & BERNIN, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
GT Advanced Technologies (NASDAQ: GTAT) and Soitec (NYSE Euronext: SOI),
today announced a development agreement and a licensing agreement
allowing GT to develop, manufacture and commercialize a high-volume,
multi-wafer HVPE system to produce high-quality GaN epi layers on
substrates used in the LED and other growth industries such as power
electronics. The higher growth rates and improved material properties
made possible by the HVPE system are expected to significantly reduce
process costs while boosting device performance compared with the
traditional MOCVD process. Initial pre-payment of the licensing fees as
outlined in the agreement is already underway, but further specific
terms were not disclosed.
GT will develop, manufacture and commercialize the HVPE system
incorporating Soitec Phoenix Labs' (a subsidiary of Soitec) unique and
proprietary HVPE technology including its novel and advanced source
delivery system that is expected to lower the costs of precursors
delivered to the HVPE reactor. The HVPE system will enable the
production of GaN template sapphire substrates at scale. The expected
target date for the commercial availability of the HVPE system is the
second half of 2014.
"We have been working for more than 6 years on GaN epi processes and
have created this breakthrough HVPE technology critical in producing
high-quality and low cost GaN layers on sapphire substrates," said
Chantal Arena, VP and general manager of Soitec Phoenix Labs. "The
development and license agreements we are announcing today with GT is
the ultimate validation of this work and builds on the agreement we
announced last year with Silian to integrate a HVPE-based technology on
their sapphire. This allows Soitec to structure its LED lighting offer
around differentiated technologies and industrial partners that includes
materials and equipment. Soitec Phoenix Labs deep know-how in epitaxy
technologies and GaN materials will be a key factor to enable GT to
bring a revolutionary HVPE system to the market."
"GT has a successful track record of delivering innovative equipment
that has changed industries such as solar PV and LED," said Tom
Gutierrez, GT's president and CEO. "Our decision to enter into the
agreements with Soitec is the result of our extensive search for the
right partner with the right technology to complement our equipment
business as we diversify into new, high-value technologies that broaden
our reach and bring winning solutions to the market. Soitec Phoenix Labs
brings a high level of expertise and technical experience in GaN process
know-how. When commercially available, we believe the new HVPE system
will be a key element to further reduce LED device costs and help propel
the industry to greater levels of competitiveness and growth."
About Soitec
Soitec is an international manufacturing company, a world leader in
generating and manufacturing revolutionary semiconductor materials at
the frontier of the most exciting energy and electronic challenges.
Soitec's products include substrates for microelectronics (most notably
SOI: Silicon-on-Insulator) and concentrator photovoltaic systems (CPV).
The company's core technologies are Smart Cut™, Smart Stacking™ and
Concentrix™, as well as expertise in epitaxy. Applications include
consumer and mobile electronics, microelectronics-driven IT,
telecommunications, automotive electronics, lighting products and
large-scale solar power plants. Soitec has manufacturing plants and R&D
centers in France, Singapore, Germany, and the United States. For more
information, visit: www.soitec.com.
About GT Advanced Technologies Inc.
GT Advanced Technologies Inc. is a diversified technology company with
innovative crystal growth equipment and solutions for the global solar,
LED and electronics industries. Our products accelerate the adoption of
new advanced materials that improve performance and lower the cost of
manufacturing. For additional information about GT Advanced
Technologies, please visit www.gtat.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain of the information in this press release relate to the
Company's future expectations, plans and prospects for its business and
industry that constitute "forward-looking statements" for the purposes
of the safe-harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to: the Company's ability
to successfully develop and deliver the HVPE system, the ability to
achieve the expected performance of the HVPE system to lower the cost of
LED substrate manufacturing, the ability of the Company and Soitec Labs
to successfully execute the terms of development and licensing
agreements and the Company's ability to successfully market its sapphire
material to new market segments outside of its traditional markets, the
HVPE system will accelerate adoption of LED in commercial and
residential lighting; higher growth rates and improved material
properties will be made possible by the HVPE along with significantly
reduced process costs and boosting device performance compared with the
traditional MOCVD process; HVPE system will enable the production of GaN
template sapphire substrates at scale; the expected target date for the
commercial availability of the HVPE system is the second half of
2014;and the HVPE system will be a key element to further reduce
LED device costs and help propel the industry to greater levels of
competitiveness and growth. These forward-looking statements are not a
guarantee of performance and are subject to a number of uncertainties
and other factors, many of which are outside the Company's control,
which could cause actual events to differ materially from those
expressed or implied by the statements. Other factors that may cause
actual events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by
our forward-looking statements include the impact of continued decreased
demand and/or excess capacity in the markets for the output of our solar
and sapphire equipment, general economic conditions and the tightening
credit market having an adverse impact on demand for the Company's
products, the possibility that changes in government incentives may
reduce demand for solar products, which would, in turn, reduce demand
for our equipment, technological changes could render existing products
or technologies obsolete, the Company may be unable to protect its
intellectual property rights, competition from other manufacturers may
increase, exchange rate fluctuations and conditions in the credit
markets and economy may reduce demand for the Company's products and
various other risks as outlined in GT Advanced Technologies Inc.'s
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the
statements under the heading "Risk Factors" in the company's quarterly
report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 29, 2012.
Statements in this press release should be evaluated in light of these
important factors. The statements in this press release represent GT
Advanced Technologies Inc.'s expectations and beliefs as of the date of
this press release. GT Advanced Technologies Inc. anticipates that
subsequent events and developments may cause these expectations and
beliefs to change. GT Advanced Technologies Inc. is under no obligation
to, and expressly disclaims any such obligation to, update or alter its
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events, or otherwise.
Media
GT Advanced Technologies
Jeff Nestel-Patt,
603-204-2883
jeff.nestelpatt@gtat.com
or
Soitec
International
Media Contacts
Trade Press
Camille Darnaud-Dufour, +33 (0) 4
76 92 87 83
camille.darnaud-dufour@soitec.com
or
Soitec
Business
Press
Marylen Schmidt, +33 (0) 4 76 92 87 83
marylen.schmidt@soitec.com
or
Investors/Analysts
GT
Advanced Technologies
Ryan Flaim, 603-681-3869
ryan.flaim@gtat.com
or
Soitec
Olivier
Brice, +33 (0) 4 76 92 93 80
olivier.brice@soitec.com
Source: GT Advanced Technologies
News Provided by Acquire Media
Close window | Back to top
Delicious
Digg
Facebook
LinkedIn
Twitter
Yahoo! Buzz