Grant: Alliance Grants

Laser diodes are essential components across a wide array of industries, including medicine, industry, telecommunications, transportation, environment, and defense. However, their efficacy is often hampered by limitations inherent in traditional substrate materials and fabrication methods. To address these challenges, a collaborative effort has been proposed, leveraging the innovative PEELER technique developed by the Université de Sherbrooke. This groundbreaking approach enables the fabrication of high-performance laser diodes through the use of reusable parent substrates, promising enhanced yield and reduced manufacturing costs. The partnership comprises Laser Components Canada (LCC), a specialist in high-power laser diodes, Umicore, a world leader in advanced substrate production and recycling, and Université de Sherbrooke, renowned for its expertise in substrate engineering and micro/nanofabrication. The overarching goals of this collaboration are multifaceted: Firstly, developing a novel semiconductor device manufacturing process aims to alleviate Canada's reliance on fluctuating global wafer supply chains, thereby bolstering the domestic semiconductor industry. Secondly, by creating key process building blocks for low-cost, high-performance laser diodes, the partnership seeks to establish a new industry standard, positioning Canada and Quebec as a leader in laser diode technology. Furthermore, advancements in the PEELER process are expected to enhance its efficiency and versatility, facilitating easy integration of laser diodes into Silicon. Finally, the initiative also aims to mitigate the environmental footprint of semiconductor manufacturing by reducing dependency on rare materials and minimizing waste by re-using them multiple times.