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ASTRI

  • 2007.06 – 2010.02  — Director,  LED Devices 

I joined Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) as Director of LED Devices. In a short time, I streamlined the operation to focus on a core technology, and applied to the government for 2 large grants for support. Both were successful, the total amount was 28,000,000 Hong Kong dollars (roughly 3.6 million US dollars) .

We developed a novel technology for power LED devices that was the first in the world, and then licensed the technology to the then largest LED company in Asia (ex-Japan) : Epistar Inc. of Taiwan.  This work was featured on the front page of IEEE LEOS magazine in 2008. Then I left ASTRI to startup a new company : Quantum Wafer Inc.

ASTRI is the largest research institute in Hong Kong.

Click here to view a presentation about the work.

How did we manage to achieve these successes in such a short time ?

When I joined ATRI , I found that the team was full of capable engineers with enthusiasm for the work, but we faced a few key challenges:

  1. A few projects were running at the same time
  2. Lack of fundings for these projects
  3. Lack of equipment and cleanroom facilities to install future equipment

I streamlined the research to focus on one cutting edge technology: removal of sapphire substrate in the fabrication of power devices.

I wrote two proposals to apply to the government for large grants, both were successful.  The team members and ASTRI’s supporting staff were very helpful and efficient in the process. (Click here to see  a  copy of government report , note: the project is reported under the VP  then).  

I then negotiated with 2 universities (Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, HKUST and Chinese University of Hong Kong, CUHK) to have access to their cleanroom facilities and install our equipments in their labs.

Our team members were extremely hard working. I still remember that they often waited until mid-night to book university equipment on-line when the university booking system opens at 12:00 mid-night prompt.

We also were quick to use external supports from Taiwan, Hong Kong universities, Singapore and China.  We often travelled across the border to Shenzhen, China, to carry out our research in the production lines of a Chinese company. The following photo was taken there outside of the factory:

This ensured the success of our projects.

 

  • 2016.10 – 2019.02  Director, Power Devices 

ASTRI is the largest Hong Kong Government funded research institute with 700+ leading researchers     

I re-joined ASTRI to setup a new program on power devices.  

Realised the huge potential of SiC devices, I focused on setting up a team to develop SiC chips and applications. 

  • Established a SiC-focused power semiconductor group from scratch
  • Established collaborations with three (3) companies with contracts worthy of US$ 0.48 million
  • Initiated three (3) projects worthy of US$ 2.7 million
    • “Next-generation SiC Diodes for Power Electronics Applications” (Grant Code: ARD206)
    • “Next Generation Power Electronics as an Enabler for Electric Vehicles and Robots” (ARD225, in progress when I left ASTRI)
    • “Next Generation SiC-based Matrix Converters” (ART256, in progress when I left ASTRI)
  • Established SiC diodes design and processes, and MOSFET design
  • Led the team to develop a technology (hybrid Schottky Technology) to improve SiC diode performance with reduced costs.  Two (2) patents have been filed by the team in the US and China (more information is not allowed to be disclosed now.)
  • Identified the “Matrix Converter” as an ideal application of SiC devices and worked out a commercialization plan with companies.