AIXTRON Innovation Center opened by Mona Neubaur, Minister for Economic Affairs of North Rhine-Westphalia

V.l.n.r.: Dr. Benjamin Fadavian (Bürgermeister Herzogenrath), Dr. Felix Grawert (CEO AIXTRON SE), Mona Neubaur (Ministerin für Wirtschaft, Industrie, Klimaschutz und Energie des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen), Dr. Christian Danninger (CFO AIXTRON SE) (Foto: AIXTRON/Friedrich Stark) / From left to right: Dr. Benjamin Fadavian, Dr. Felix Grawert, Mona Neubaur, Dr. Christian Danninger. (Photo: AIXTRON/Friedrich Stark)

Mona Neubaur, Minister for Economic Affairs of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, has opened the new Innovation Center of AIXTRON SE (FSE: AIXA) at the company's headquarters in Herzogenrath. At the official ceremony, AIXTRON CEO Dr. Felix Grawert and CFO Dr. Christian Danninger showed the minister the new research and development complex with 1,000 m² of cleanroom space. It lays the foundation for the transition to 300 mm wafer size in the Compound Semiconductor Industry.

“AIXTRON's new innovation center is an impressive example of the innovative strength and future viability of the semiconductor industry in North Rhine-Westphalia. The launch of 300 mm wafer technology is a milestone for the energy efficiency and competitiveness of our region. Our global competitiveness benefits enormously from robust domestic semiconductor production, because semiconductors are essential for the transformation towards climate neutrality: without them, no computer would run, no car would drive, and neither wind nor solar plants could produce energy,” said Mona Neubaur, Minister for Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy and Deputy Prime Minister of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.

The event was attended by representatives from the world of politics, the city of Herzogenrath, the Aachen Chamber of Industry and Commerce, and the media. The minister visited AIXTRON as part of an innovation tour in North Rhine-Westphalia.

“With the new 300mm-capable cleanroom at the Innovation Center, we will further expand our technological market leadership,” said Dr. Felix Grawert, President and CEO of AIXTRON SE. ”We already have the first 300mm GaN prototype systems, which have also been integrated into pilot lines at several customers. And this is precisely where AIXTRON's innovative strength and DNA come into play. For decades, we have been working on technological solutions even when the market had not yet defined its requirements in concrete terms. This enables us to help our customers with their product developments at an early stage and to offer innovative technologies that are market-ready at precisely the moment when demand first arises.”

The groundbreaking ceremony and start of construction of the state-of-the-art complex, in which AIXTRON is investing around 100 million euros, was in November 2023. The high-tech building is designed for the next big step in compound semiconductor technology: the important transition to 300 mm wafer size for gallium nitride (GaN) and other Compound Semiconductor applications. The GaN material system, in which AIXTRON is technology leader, is being used in an increasing number of power electronics applications due to its outstanding material properties. GaN-based semiconductor devices increase the efficiency of chargers in consumer electronics, enable efficient power conversion in the field of renewable energy, and provide energy-efficient power supply for servers and data centers. This also helps, for example, with the applications for artificial intelligence, which are currently spreading rapidly, because these require a great deal of energy.

To prepare for this demand, AIXTRON is driving forward the development of 300 mm deposition technology. The larger wafer size offers customers the productivity gain of 2.25 times more wafer area compared to the currently used 200 mm wafers. Furthermore, customers can use their 300 mm fabs and processing equipment for the first time in the field of Compound Semiconductors. This will make the production of GaN semiconductor devices not only more cost-effective, but also offers opportunities to technology performance gains in the future.

“With 300mm wafer technology, we are bringing Compound Semiconductors for the first time into the mainstream of the semiconductor fabrication. The Innovation Center is a major element of our strategy, providing space and capabilities for next generation technologies. The step towards 300 mm in Compound Semiconductors is a landmark milestone, that is set to trigger numerous growth options for the industry in the years to come.” explains Professor Dr. Michael Heuken, Vice President Advanced Technologies at AIXTRON.