Soitec-Led Project Targets High-Frequency Semiconductors

Move2THz, a European research and industry consortium led by Soitec, has commenced work to develop a future generation of high-frequency semiconductors based on indium phosphide (InP). The 27-member consortium plans to lay the groundwork for a European supply and manufacturing ecosystem for InP semiconductors. The initiative further plans to address barriers to their wider adoption — including the cost and availability of InP-based advanced substrates.

InP devices can operate at frequencies approaching or exceeding 1 THz, offering superior speeds and increased energy efficiency compared to silicon technologies. These technologies are set to address applications ranging from photonics for mega datacenters and AI to radio frequency front-ends and integrated antennas critical for 6G mobile communication, sub-THz radar sensing, and beyond.

One of the principal goals of the project is to establish an InP-on-silicon global standard, which will facilitate upscaling of the wafer size and volume compatible with CMOS manufacturing capacities, while minimizing the use of rare InP resources.

The project is targeting the year 2030 for a mature InP ecosystem, coinciding with the expected ramp-up of 6G-associated technologies. By 2027, MoveTHz expects to provide competitive elements for the terahertz technology sector.

Consortium members include CEA-Leti, Eindhoven University of Technology, Smart Photonics, Chalmers University of Technology, ETH Zurich, the Ferdinand Braun Institute, and Microwave Photonics. The three-year project is a recipient of EU funding as well as top-up financing from the governments of France, Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Belgium.