Patent 2008-549935 has been granted by the Japan Patent Office to NanoGaN and is entitled “Growth method using nanostructure compliant layers and HVPE for producing high quality compound semiconductor materials.”



This protects the Group's proprietary nanocolumn technology for producing high quality, free-standing GaN substrates, critical for manufacturing high quality blue and green semiconductor lasers and ultra high brightness LEDs for Solid State Lighting (“SSL”).



The second patent No.2446471, entitled “Production of semiconductor devices” has been granted by the UK patent office (seal right) and is to protect the manufacturing of semiconductor devices including laser diodes, LEDs and solar cells, directly onto the nanocolumn platform, expanding the number and type of substrates that can be used for epitaxy.



The production of advanced blue and green semiconductor lasers and ultra high brightness LEDs requires stable, high quality substrates with minimal crystalline defects such as threading dislocations to increase yield and therefore reduce manufacturing costs.


 “The granting of these patents covers all of the essential technologies for producing free standing gallium nitride using our proprietary Hydride Vapour Phase Epitaxy (HVPE) process and nanocolumn growth technique," says Professor Wang Nang Wang, NanoGaN founder & Chief Scientific Adviser to IQE.

IQE acquired NanoGaN in October 2009 with the aim of assisting in completing the development of commercial products and transferring the technology to its high volume production facilities.

IQE’s acquisition of NanoGaN complemented and enhanced IQE’s product portfolio by accelerating the Group’s strategic plans to develop a leadership position in the emerging high growth markets for advanced laser projection, high definition optical storage (including Blue Ray products), high resolution laser printing and SSL for industrial, commercial and residential lighting.

It is envisaged that NanoGaN’s core technology may also be used to further enhance IQE’s leading position in the supply of GaN products for high power RF applications. 




“Continuous innovation is one of IQE’s key attributes that enables the Group to offer its customers the broadest portfolio of leading edge semiconductor technologies available," says Dr. Drew Nelson, Group CEO and President.