Nitride Global, USLLC and Axiom Space Awarded NASA SBIR Grant

Why It Matters

Micro‑gravity crystal growth could unlock defect‑free AlN substrates, accelerating high‑performance power electronics for both space and Earth markets. The grant positions the U.S. as a pioneer in on‑orbit semiconductor production, a strategic advantage for defense and clean‑energy technologies.

Key Takeaways

• NASA SBIR funds AlN crystal PVD reactor for ISS
• Micro‑gravity reduces defects, enabling ultra‑pure AlN substrates
• Phase‑I prototype achieved 2800‑3200 °C at <400 W
• Phase‑II aims for flight‑ready, ISS‑compatible reactor
• AlN’s properties surpass SiC and GaN for power electronics

Pulse Analysis

Aluminum nitride (AlN) is emerging as a next‑generation ultra‑wide‑bandgap semiconductor, offering thermal conductivity, radiation hardness, and breakdown strength that outstrip silicon carbide and gallium nitride. On Earth, AlN crystal growth is hampered by thermal convection, high dislocation densities, and size constraints, limiting its adoption in high‑power and optoelectronic devices. Researchers have long recognized that the micro‑gravity environment of low‑Earth‑orbit can suppress convection, flatten thermal gradients, and accelerate seed formation, potentially delivering defect‑free, large‑area substrates in months rather than decades.

To capitalize on that promise, Nitride Global, United Semiconductors LLC, and Axiom Space secured a NASA Small Business Innovation Research grant to design a physical vapor deposition (PVD) reactor for in‑space AlN crystal production. In Phase I the team built a proof‑of‑concept unit that reached 2,800‑3,200 °C while consuming only 250‑400 W and weighing under 700 g—parameters compatible with the International Space Station’s power and mass limits. Phase II will refine the design for ISS mid‑deck locker integration, optimize growth models, and complete NASA safety reviews, paving the way for a flight‑ready experiment.

Successful deployment would create a versatile high‑temperature materials platform, enabling not only AlN but also silicon carbide, oxide crystals, and other advanced compounds to be grown in orbit. That capability aligns with NASA’s push toward sustainable commercial manufacturing in space and could accelerate the technology readiness of ultra‑high‑performance semiconductors for terrestrial power grids, electric vehicles, and defense systems. By establishing an on‑orbit crystal growth line, the United States positions itself at the forefront of a new industrial frontier where space‑derived materials feed both orbital and Earth‑based markets.

Nitride Global, USLLC and Axiom Space awarded NASA SBIR grant

16 February 2026

Nitride Global Inc of Wichita, KS, USA says that —along with its partners United Semiconductors LLC (USLLC) of Los Alamitos, CA, USA (which since 2005 has been supplying the US defense sector and national laboratories with critical substrates) and Axiom Space Inc of Houston, TX, USA —it has been selected for a NASA‑funded Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant ‘Physical Vapor Deposition Reactor Design and Validation for In‑Space Manufacturing of Aluminum Nitride Single Crystals’. The project will advance the development of a next‑generation physical vapor deposition (PVD) reactor for producing high‑purity aluminium nitride (AlN) crystals in micro‑gravity, a key step toward enabling large‑scale space‑based semiconductor manufacturing.

The ultrawide‑bandgap (UWBG) semiconductor AlN has superior thermal conductivity, operating temperature range, radiation resistance and electrical breakdown strength compared to silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN). However, terrestrial AlN crystal growth faces challenges such as high dislocation densities, point defects and size limitations that hinder its widespread adoption in high‑performance power electronics and optoelectronic applications.

Micro‑gravity provides a unique environment to overcome these barriers by:

• eliminating thermal convection, ensuring uniform mass flux and reducing defects;

• minimizing thermal gradients, decreasing stress‑induced dislocations; and

• accelerating seed development, enabling the production of ultra‑high‑purity AlN substrates that could advance wafer quality by multiple generations in months rather than decades.

During Phase I, the project team — led by USLLC — developed and tested a proof‑of‑concept PVD reactor capable of achieving crystal‑growth temperatures of 2 800–3 200 °C while operating at only 250–400 W and weighing less than 700 g. The compact system demonstrated feasibility for integration within the International Space Station (ISS) environment, where power, size and thermal constraints are significant.

In Phase II, the consortium will develop and validate a flight‑ready reactor prototype for deployment aboard the ISS. Objectives include:

• refining reactor design to meet ISS mid‑deck locker integration requirements;

• conducting AlN crystal growth optimization through modeling and empirical testing; and

• completing NASA’s Safety Review and securing payload integration approval for future on‑orbit experiments.

The enhanced system will also serve as a high‑temperature materials research platform, supporting studies of silicon carbide, oxide crystals, and other advanced materials relevant to in‑space manufacturing and next‑generation semiconductor technologies.

“This collaboration represents a major step toward realizing the vision of in‑space semiconductor fabrication,” says Nitride Global’s CEO Mahyar Khosravi. “By harnessing the advantages of micro‑gravity and advanced thermal systems engineering, we aim to help establish the US as a leader in ultra‑high‑performance material production for both terrestrial and orbital applications.”

The project aligns with NASA’s broader goals of fostering sustainable, commercial in‑space manufacturing, advancing R&D of AlN‑based semiconductors for extreme space environments, and leveraging low‑Earth‑orbit (LEO) platforms such as the ISS and future Axiom Space stations to accelerate technology readiness for Earth and beyond.