Veeco receives first order for new GENxcel MBE system

Epitaxial deposition and process equipment maker Veeco Instruments Inc of Plainview, NY, USA says that the first shipment of its new GENxcel molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) system will be received by China’s Acken Optoelectronics Ltd.

The GENxcel expands on the design of GENxplor (the best-selling MBE system since its introduction in August 2013) by providing a lower-cost, fully integrated deposition system that creates high-quality epitaxial layers on substrates up to 4” in diameter compared to the 3” capabilities of the GENxplor. The GENxcel system features an easy-to-use manual transfer system, 12 source ports and modern electronics fully integrated into a single frame design for maximum laboratory footprint efficiency.

Acken Optoelectronics is a start-up company specializing in the development of high-speed communication devices including optoelectronic communications, RF switching, and low-noise amplifiers for mobile applications. The research is being led by Dr Yiqiao Chen to capture the 5G mobile communication market. Chen utilized Veeco’s technology at Columbia University, where he conducted R&D on a Veeco GENII MBE system.

“Veeco’s high-quality and high-performance MBE systems, combined with their local support, are unparalleled in the Chinese market,” comments Chen. “We are confident Veeco’s systems and source technology will best enable us to advance our compound semiconductor development.”

“Many customers were asking Veeco for a modern, manual-transfer, 4”-wafer MBE system,” says Gerry Blumenstock, VP & general manager, Veeco’s MBE business unit. “The obvious choice was to leverage the market-validated design principles of the GENxplor into a larger system,” he adds. “The GENxcel is the ideal system to fulfill this market need for both R&D and pilot production.”