【World Express】FLOSFIA —— A mass production system of 1 million pieces per month is to built for gallium oxide SBD with the world's smallest characteristic on resistance

      In the exhibition "TECHNO-FRONTIER 2023", FLOSFIA presented its unique thin film deposition technology "MISTDRY method", as well as the gallium oxide (Ga₂O₃) power devices grown using this method.

      FLOSFIA is a startup company set up by Kyoto University in 2011, with the exclusive development of the core technology MISTDRY method. This technology enable to grow crystal films from nanometers to microns at atmospheric pressure, which can grow on a variety of semiconductor substrates.

      The explanatory personnel of FLOSFIA said: “The MISTDRY method is a technique classified as chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Usually the CVD method requires raising the temperature of the growth furnace through the heater, and then extract the vacuum with a vacuum pump, so it consumes a lot of energy. However, the MISTDRY method by FLOSFIA can be carried out at atmospheric pressure without a vacuum pump, and the temperature of the growth furnace can only stay at a few hundred degrees Celsius, so it requires less energy compared with the conventional CVD method.” In addition, the company has successfully developed Ga₂O₃ power devices grown via the MISTDRY method. The explanatory personnel said: "Our main business is to sell Ga₂O₃ power devices grown via the MISTDRY method. Known as a new material, Ga₂O₃ is a wide-band gap semiconductor material that has a larger band width and higher potential than silicon carbide (SiC). If we have the ability to make a power device that takes full advantage of the advantages of Ga₂O₃, then the on resistance of this device will be 7000 times that of the silicon (Si) power device and 20 times that of the SiC power device. We are working with a laboratory at Kyoto University and have developed a Schottky Barrier Diodes (SBD) for Ga₂O₃ grown via the MISTDRY method to achieve the world's smallest characteristic-on resistance.”

「GaO SBD」

the evaluation board with GaO SBD (left) and the DCDC inverter with GaO SBD (right)

      The company has identified the SBD as the world's first Ga₂O₃ power device and manufactured it under the product name "GaO SBD". Samples have been provided to companies in demand in 2021. Currently, the company is pushing to build a mass production system for GaO SBD Ga₂O₃ chips. As is learned, the company's headquarters and plant in Xijing district of Kyoto have the ability to produce 1 million to 2 million GaO SBD Ga₂O₃ chips per month. The company's explanatory personnel said: Several companies that have received GaO SBD samples from us have said they intend to introduce our products into the actual product. We are building a mass production system for these companies. After the sale of GaO SBD, we will seek further market expansion. In the future, we also hope to try to develop transistors using Ga₂O₃.

      In addition, FLOSFIA has purchased a commercially available sapphire substrate, and use the MISTDRY method to grow Ga₂O₃ crystals on this substrate to produce Ga₂O₃ wafers, responsible for the early process of the semiconductor. The later packaging process will be entrusted to the partner company to complete.