Nearly PLN 15 million for developing GaN technology
The Industrial Development Agency granted a loan for the amount of PLN 14.72 million to the Institute of High Pressure Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IWC PAN). The above funds will be used by IWC PAN for acquiring Ammono S.A. Consequently, the Institute will acquire the technology of producing substrate crystals from gallium nitride (GaN) and infrastructure making this production possible.
Photo courtesy of Industrial Development Agency
IWC PAN has been involved in the activity of Ammono for the last 1.5 year. Throughout that period, the Institute carried out the function of a tenant, while the company, despite announcing liquidation bankruptcy in 2015, recorded a sales increase. Nevertheless, the Institute could not fully reorganise the company in such a formula. Only funding obtained from the Industrial Development Agency made the above possible.
“In the Strategy towards Responsible Development, the need for creating recognised global brands in Poland is strongly emphasised. We have large resources for this purpose and specifically, talented scientists. They developed gallium nitride that is described in professional publications as breakthrough innovation in the area of optoelectronics and electronics, which is compared to implementing silicon-based products. Today, production based on this technology requires subsidies. I am happy that the Industrial Development Agency, an institution that has been supporting Polish industry for years, has found means for this purpose”, said Jadwiga Emilewicz, Minister of Entrepreneurship and Technology.
Ammono S.A. is a company established in 1999 by Polish scientists, who have developed the biggest and best-quality gallium nitride crystal. Boards cut from such crystals are used as a surface in Blu-ray technology or high-power LEDs for car lamps, for instance. They can also be found in current converters in hybrid and electric vehicles. Nevertheless, development of such technologies requires investments, which can be ensured by the Institute of High Pressure Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences thanks to funding provided by IDA JSC.
“The Industrial Development Agency is always willing to take part in promising innovative projects with a good business plan. The Institute of High Pressure Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences has obtained funds from us covering nearly PLN 15 million that will enable further development of technology based on gallium nitride. I would also like to note that there are three technologies of crystallising this chemical compound in the world, and thanks to the company becoming a part of the Institute, two of them will be developed in Poland. This is very important when it comes to developing a long-lasting competitive advantage in our economy. I am happy that we can have a share in this event”, said Paweł Kolczyński, Vice-President of the Industrial Development Agency.
After finalising the transaction, the assets of Ammono will constitute a part of the Institute’s assets. It will be internally separated in the form of a “pilot line” where production of gallium nitride substrates will take place. The research part will be attached to the IWC research laboratory resource, where further works on improving the substrate production technology will be performed. The new R&D Department will develop and implement solutions into production. Transfer of knowledge will be simple and its costs will be limited because everything will happen inside the Institute. The products generated will be sold to research units and R&D departments of industrial companies at least until the period of commercialisation.
“We think that the economic calculation is very important in the case of this transaction. Thanks to the 1.5-year lease, we know how Ammono operates and what areas have to be supported to fully utilise the company’s resources. At the same time, as a scientific and research unit, we strongly focus on research and development. The combination of technologies existing at our company and our possibilities will result in new solutions and technologies. Gallium nitride produced here ensures top structural quality and this is the basis for further development of Industry 4.0 of electromobility and e-mobility. We always have to look forward in innovations and be one step ahead. This is why I’m happy that we have found a partner, being the Industrial Development Agency, that made all this possible,” said Professor Izabella Grzegory, Director of the Institute of High Pressure Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences.
IWC PAN has obtained letters of intent from key recipients, confirming their demand for gallium nitride substrates for the upcoming few years. Currently, the project is at the stage of research and development. The Institute estimates that it will complete in-depth works for the production technology of 2-inch substrates in approximately 2 years, which can be used in the industry. This is when their commercialisation will be possible. Until that point, the Institute will produce 1- and 1.8-inch substrates on a pilot line, which will be sold to other research units for the purpose of research and development.
Source: https://www.arp.pl/en
