RIBER, the global leader for molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) equipment serving the semiconductor industry, and the CNRS Laboratory for Analysis and Architecture of Systems (LAAS-CNRS) in Toulouse are announcing the creation of the joint laboratory EPICENTRE \/ LAAS – RIBER, within which they will share, for a six-year period, their respective expertise in MBE (Molecular Beam Epitaxy).<\/p>\n
EPICENTRE serving the MBE Dream<\/strong><\/p>\n The objective with EPICENTRE is to put in place a strategy for technological innovation in the MBE field through joint governance and a research plan designed to open up the development of a series of technological components. The first technical pillar involves developing a series of complementary, non-destructive in-situ metrics tools that ensure ultimate control over epitaxy processes for complex materials. Its ambition is to provide solutions to significantly improve MBE processes with a view to offering increased automation, stability and reproducibility for growth processes across all of the ranges of Riber machines.<\/p>\n EPICENTRE\u2019s second technical pillar is to develop a dedicated solution for superconductor materials growth for the datacom sector, focused in particular on quantum computing, specifically addressing the technological obstacle of epitaxy at cryogenic temperatures. Its ambition is to invent new hybrid epitaxially grown interfaces that will form the basic building blocks for future spintronics and quantum components. Solutions for growing complex components (VCSEL, multi-junction solar cells) will also be developed with a view to demonstrating the efficiency, effectiveness and relevance of these in-situ metrics tools with a view to mass production. Alongside this, EPICENTRE will launch work on machine learning, an area with strong expectations for the MBE community, looking to optimize the analysis of materials growth processes.<\/p>\n Program driving innovation<\/strong><\/p>\n This program aims to design an MBE platform, currently unrivalled on the market, focused on III-V and superconductor complex structures growth and incorporating automated advanced control processes. The Toulouse LAAS-CNRS micro-nano technology unit will therefore soon be receiving a platform provided by Riber. This platform will be fitted with an instrumentation range that is fully integrated with Riber\u2019s process control software Crystal XE, with features including the insitu monitoring and control of epitaxial growth parameters. All of these parameters and the corresponding ex-situ characterizations will be compiled in a knowledge base. This collaboration, supporting innovation, will ultimately make it possible to extend the overall approach to cover Riber\u2019s entire range of research and production machines.<\/p>\n