DARPA Awards HexaTech Aluminum Nitride Substrate Development Contract

Potential 3-year $10.2M Program for 100 mm Diameter Substrates

MORRISVILLE, N.C., Oct. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- HexaTech, Inc. announced today the signing of a multi-year contract with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) as part of the agency's recently announced Ultra-Wide Bandgap Semiconductors (UWBGS) program. The objective of the UWBGS program is to develop foundational, high-quality materials necessary for realizing practical UWBG electronics and enabling UWBG applications. HexaTech's role in this program will be focused on the development of 100 mm diameter, low defect density aluminum nitride (AlN) substrates which will be essential to further expand the performance/application envelope of high voltage and high frequency electronic devices.

HexaTech CEO, John Goehrke stated, "We are extremely appreciative for this collaboration with DARPA and the support they are providing, as we continue to drive our AlN substrate technology forward. As the world's leading commercial supplier of single crystal AlN material, HexaTech continues to provide cutting-edge product performance and value for our customers."

The potential 3-year contract, if fully exercised, is valued at $10.2M, and builds on top of HexaTech's previously announced 100 mm development effort, accelerating the timeline and building on the scale of HexaTech's production process from crystal growth through substrate finishing.

Dr. Rafael Dalmau, the program's Principal Investigator at HexaTech noted, "To fully support the technical potential of AlN substrates in both existing and new device technologies, expansion to 100 mm in diameter, coupled with superior bulk quality characteristics, will be critical for several reasons, including device fabrication line capabilities, device performance, and reliability."

"The result of this program will be the direct translation of 100 mm AlN substrates into volume production, enabling industry adoption by both commercial and defense foundries. The commercialization of high quality, large diameter AlN substrates for both existing and future customers will drive critical next-generation device performance gains," stated Gregory Mills, HexaTech VP of Business Development.

For more information on HexaTech's technology and products, please visit www.hexatechinc.com, or contact HexaTech at [email protected].

This research is funded, in part, by the U.S. Government. The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, of the U.S. Government.

About DARPA

Established in 1958 as part of the U.S. Department of Defense, DARPA pursues opportunities for transformational change rather than incremental advances. It does so collaboratively as part of a robust innovation ecosystem that includes academic, corporate, and governmental partners. To fulfill its mission, the Agency relies on diverse performers from throughout this ecosystem to apply multi-disciplinary approaches to both advance knowledge through basic research and create innovative technologies that address current and predicted practical problems through applied research.

About HexaTech

HexaTech, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Stanley Electric, Tokyo, Japan, is an industry-leading manufacturer of single crystal aluminum nitride (AlN) substrates. This substrate material is enabling long life UV-C light emitting diodes (LEDs) for disinfection applications, deep UV lasers for biological threat detection, high voltage switching devices for efficient power conversion, and RF components for satellite communications.

Founded in 2001, the HexaTech team has successfully solved complex material science and engineering challenges to commercialize high quality bulk AlN for volume production. For additional company and product information, please visit us at www.hexatechinc.com.

About Stanley Electric

Stanley Electric is a global company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, that manufactures automotive equipment and electronic components with cutting-edge optical technologies. With manufacturing at its core, Stanley Electric invests in its group companies around the world to produce automotive lamps, LEDs (ultraviolet, visible, infrared) and other electronics. The company is contributing broadly to society by exploring the infinite possibilities of light and bringing its value to humankind.  For more information about Stanley Electric, please visit www.stanley.co.jp/e/.

Contact: Gregory Mills
HexaTech, Inc.
+1 919 415 1495
[email protected] 

SOURCE HexaTech, Inc.