Summary of Voltaix Announces Plans to Bring its Germane (GeH4) Production Technology to Korea via Agreement with Wonik Materials
This article details a strategic agreement between Voltaix, LLC and Wonik Materials to expand germane production capacity by 25 MT in South Korea. The expansion aims to meet growing demand from the semiconductor, photovoltaic, and LCD industries in East Asia. Germane is highlighted for its critical role in enhancing silicon-germanium alloy films for integrated circuits and improving solar cell efficiency. The project leverages Voltaix's proprietary synthesis and equipment technology to localize supply chains.
Parts used in the Germane Production Expansion:
- Germane (GeH4) precursor
- Silicon-Germanium (SiGe) alloy films
- Logic and memory integrated circuits
- Thin Film Photovoltaic (TFPV) solar cells
- Proprietary synthesis technology
- Purification technology
- Packaging technology
- Custom manufacturing equipment
Seoul, South Korea and Branchburg, NJ (PRWEB) October 28, 2010
Voltaix, LLC, the acknowledged world market leader in the production of the germanium chemical vapor deposition (CVD) precursor, germane (GeH4), and Wonik Materials, Ltd., a rapidly growing South Korean Electronic Gas manufacturer and distributor, today signed an agreement which contemplates the construction of a 25 MT expansion of Voltaixs germane production capacity at a manufacturing site in Choongchung Nam Do Province, S. Korea. The multi-purpose manufacturing site will enable future localization of additional critical products used in the semiconductor, photovoltaic, and LCD industries.
Germane has an interesting history as an electronic gas. Originally used in Japan as a component in electrostatic printer manufacturing in the late 1970s, it has seen growing use for manufacturing silicon-germanium alloy films for both logic and memory integrated circuits where the presence of germanium can alter the mechanical and electronic properties of silicon, producing both stressed and doped layers with enhanced electronic conductivity. In TFPV solar cells germanium improves solar conversion efficiency by increasing the absorption of red and infrared components of the solar spectrum. Many of these technologies have been embraced by the Korean electronics industry in response to the ever growing requirement for improving semiconductor performance (Registered Voltaix trademark), and a need has arisen to localize germane production in Korea. The proposed 25 MT plant, in conjunction with Voltaixs comparable US production capacity, provides customers access to germane supplies adequate to meet their growing demand for the product in Korea and throughout east Asia. Wonik and Voltaix will continue their germane distribution arrangement in Korea.
About Voltaix
Voltaix is the worlds leading producer of germane, diborane, trisilane, and trimethyl boron – specialty chemicals that enhance the performance and manufacturability of semiconductors and photovoltaics. Voltaix chemicals enable logic chips to compute more quickly and solar cells to absorb a broader portion of the solar spectrum, and they improve manufacturability by minimizing defect formation and increasing machine throughput.
Utilizing exceptional expertise in silicon, germanium and boron chemistry, our products are custom designed for the most demanding applications, including:
Advanced DRAM computer memory
Silicon-Germanium (SiGe) transistors for wireless communications chips
Strained silicon for high speed logic computer chips (CPUs)
Copper-enabling low-K dielectrics for computer chips
High efficiency thin film silicon solar cells
We use proprietary synthesis, purification, and packaging technology developed in-house. We also design and build our own equipment for use in our manufacturing operations. The company, founded in 1986 and privately held, currently employs approximately 100 people at its sites in North Branch, NJ and High Springs, FL. Voltaix investors include Intel Capital, Novus Energy Partners, and Mission Point Capital Partners. Further information about Voltaix is available at http://www.voltaix.com.
###
-
What is the primary purpose of the new 25 MT plant?
The plant expands germane production capacity to meet growing demand in Korea and throughout East Asia. -
How does germane improve solar cell performance?
It improves solar conversion efficiency by increasing the absorption of red and infrared components of the solar spectrum. -
Which industries will benefit from this localization?
The semiconductor, photovoltaic, and LCD industries will benefit from localized production. -
Can germane alter the properties of silicon?
Yes, the presence of germanium can alter mechanical and electronic properties to produce stressed and doped layers with enhanced conductivity. -
Who are the partners involved in this expansion?
Voltaix, LLC and Wonik Materials, Ltd. signed an agreement to construct the facility. -
Does Voltaix design its own manufacturing equipment?
Yes, the company designs and builds its own equipment for use in its manufacturing operations. -
Where is the proposed manufacturing site located?
The site is located in Choongchung Nam Do Province, S. Korea.
