Electron Irradiation - HZDR Innovation

High-Tech Solutions for Power Semiconductors and Polymers

High-energy electron irradiation is a leading process for the tailor-made modification of materials. Unlike many other high-tech processes, this electron beam treatment takes place under normal atmospheric conditions or with a protective gas. This makes the process particularly efficient, as the substrate does not require complex handling in a vacuum. The batch-mode operation also enables high throughput and cost-efficent production.

The wide range of applications extends from optimizing electrical properties in semiconductor materials, as used in power semiconductors or photovoltaics, to the cross-linking of polymer materials. With this innovative radiation technology, material properties can be precisely adjusted to increase the performance and longevity of your products.

Header_Elektronenbestrahlungsanlage Materialmodifikation

Defect Engineering with High-Energy Electron Irradiation

In the field of defect engineering, electron irradiation plays a key role in the tailor-made creation of material defects. High-energy electrons (energy: 10 MeV) induce precise vacancies and interstitial atoms during their interaction with lattice atoms. Thanks to the high energies, these effects occur in a cascade-like manner, enabling an efficient and profound modification of the material structure. This method is fundamental for optimizing properties in power semiconductors and other high-tech materials.

Grafiken Electron beam irradiation system(2)

System Setup and Functionality of the Electron Beam Facility

The basic design of the facility for electron irradiation consists of three key components: an accelerator, a beam scanning system, and a linear transport system for precise substrate handling. These components are essential for process control and reproducibility.

The materials to be treated are conveyed beneath the linearly scanned electron beam at a defined speed. The combination of the adjusted beam current and the selected transport velocity determines the applied electron dose. The beam energy is fixed at monoenergetic 10 MeV. If required, the energy can be reduced by using scattering foils, which, however, leads to a broader energy distribution. This system therefore offers both precision and flexibility, allowing tailored adaptation to your specific application requirements.

Substrate Handling and Material Modification

Substrate handling in electron irradiation is designed for maximum efficiency. Materials such as silicon wafers are stacked into specialized holders and then placed into irradiation boxes. Depending on the wafer size, multiple stacks can even be processed simultaneously within a single box.

Thanks to the high energy, the electrons can penetrate the entire substrate stack effortlessly and uniformly. This not only enables high throughput but also guarantees consistent layer-by-layer treatment. This ensures efficient and reliable material modification.

Efficient Substrate Handling and Process Control

The linear transport system of the facility is designed to maximize throughput. It allows multiple irradiation boxes to be placed on a single tray, which is then conveyed at a precise speed beneath the scanned line of the electron beam. The combination of the defined transport velocity, the resulting application time, and the beam current determines the exact electron dose delivered into the material.

For processes requiring higher doses, multiple passes beneath the beam can be performed to achieve the desired cumulative dose. To ensure highly uniform electron irradiation, substrates can also be processed stepwise from both sides during treatment. This flexibility guarantees optimal and reproducible material modification.

Hochenergie-Elektronenbestrahlungsanlage zur Materialmodifikation

Our Services

We support you in the development and implementation of your electron irradiation processes—from research to series production.

R&D and Process Development: Together, we find the optimal e-beam parameters for your material.
Pilot Trials: Conduct tests under real conditions to check feasibility.
Process Qualification: We ensure the reproducibility and quality of your electron irradiation.
Series Production: We efficiently transfer processes into high-throughput series production.

Additional Services

Rush Service: For urgent orders, we offer an accelerated processing mode.
Process Consulting: We advise you on defining doses and processes to create customized solutions.

Technical Parameters: A fixed, monoenergetic energy of 10 MeV is used. Since the required dose depends heavily on your specific material and application, we determine these parameters in a personalized quote. This ensures you receive a service precisely tailored to your requirements.

Our Unique Selling Propositions & Advantages

Benefit from our expertise and the decisive advantages that set us apart from competitors. We offer not only state-of-the-art electron beam technology but also customized services tailored to your specific requirements.

Powerful Technology: We perform e-beam irradiations at 10 MeV, enabling targeted material modification even for demanding substrates, with exceptional flexibility for a wide range of projects.
Efficient Processing & High Throughput: By processing wafers in batch (stack) mode, we achieve extremely high throughput, making the process both economical and efficient.
Quality: Our processes ensure the highest quality standards at every stage of electron beam irradiation.
Expert Consulting: Our team supports you in determining the optimal process parameters for your specific material and application. We provide tailored solutions that go beyond standard procedures.

Targeted Process Optimization through Expert Consulting

Electron beam irradiation enables the precise tuning of a wide range of physical material properties. To fully exploit the potential of this technology, our experienced team is at your service. We provide targeted process consulting to analyze your specific requirements and identify the optimal strategies for your material modification.

Benefit from our expertise and many years of experience in electron beam technology to develop tailored solutions for optimizing your products and enhancing the efficiency of your processes.

Your Contact Persons

Dr. Roman Böttger
Chief Operating Officer

Tel.: +49 351 260 2873

r.boettger@hzdri.de

Prof. Dr. Thoralf Gebel
Sales Consultant Ion Technology

Tel.: +49 176 207 45597

t.gebel@hzdri.de