News: Suppliers
20 August 2026
GaN epilayers grown on TekSiC’s semi-insulating silicon carbide wafers
Silicon carbide wafer manufacturing technology firm TekSiC AB of Linköping, Sweden has announced progress in its development of semi-insulating silicon carbide (SI-SiC), which Europe currently lacks the domestic capability to manufacture commercially. The material underpins some of the most demanding RF and power electronics used in space, defence, and next-generation communications. SI-SiC has also recently been identified as critical for next-generation AI chip, AI-data centers and AR glasses.
Semi-insulating SiC
Unlike electrically conductive n-type SiC widely used in automotive power electronics, SI-SiC is a high-resistivity substrate material critical for gallium nitride (GaN) high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs), RF amplifiers, satellite communications, radar, electronic warfare systems, and advanced sensors. It enables components to operate at very high power, very high frequencies with low noise and low loss. SI-SiC’s properties make it the chosen substrate for GaN-based RF components across European Space Agency (ESA) programs, defence systems, satellite platforms, 5G/6G base stations, and radar.
Building full control of the value chain
Founded in 2021, TekSiC set out to secure full control of the SI-SiC supply chain and process optimization from the start, beginning with the development of its own physical vapor transport (PVT) growth reactor, Xforge — now industrialized and sold to customers globally. That same principle of vertical control now extends to wafer manufacturing itself, with the aim of securing full European independence in SI-SiC wafer production.
TekSiC has established an in-house wafer pilot lab covering slicing, polishing and characterization, alongside its crystal growth process. This allows it to iterate its growth process, from graphite machining to wafer characterization, entirely in-house, accelerating process optimization from simulation and modelling to finished wafers.
Government-backed consortium and recent milestones
TekSiC's SI-SiC development is backed by Swedish government funding through the ‘Semiconductor, A Swedish Value Chain’ project, launched in March 2025 to demonstrate a full domestic value chain from powder to device based on SI-SiC and GaN.
Within the consortium, TekSiC is responsible for demonstrating SI-SiC wafers, which are then processed with GaN epitaxy by Linköping-based epiwafer foundry SweGaN AB, and further developed into power and RF HEMT devices by Chalmers University of Technology. The SiC/GaN wafers will also be validated and used for micro-LED devices by Polar Light Technologies.
The project is owned and run by innovation cluster Innovative Materials Arena in a neutral coordinating role.
Earlier this year, TekSiC demonstrated high-resistivity properties in its SI-SiC wafers. A project partner has since successfully grown GaN epitaxial layers on TekSiC’s wafers, a key milestone that enabled Chalmers University of Technology to begin processing the epiwafers into RF and power HEMT device structures. Initial development is focused on 100mm SiC substrates, with the growth process already prepared to scale to 150mm.
Technology and roadmap
The next milestone on TekSiC’s roadmap is the demonstration of power and RF HEMT structures based on its substrates. In parallel, the firm continues to optimize its crystal growth process for production-grade quality and yield through its proprietary AHM technology, enabling higher-quality crystal growth, reduced wafer cost, and a significantly lower CO2 footprint per wafer.
TekSiC aims to support Europe’s need for semi-insulating SiC, with a primary focus on securing critical supply for the space, defence and aerospace industries, alongside emerging industries adopting semi-insulating SiC. Wafers for customer validation are planned to be available by mid-2027 with industrialization and production scale-up planned to begin at the end of 2027.
TekSiC recently closed its first investment round led by Turbine Capital, bringing in new shareholders with relevant industry competences and connections. The funding accelerates the firm’s ongoing development and validation work. A second investment round, planned for mid-2027, will fund industrialization and scale up of TekSiC’s value-chain-controlled wafer manufacturing.
“By controlling our entire value chain — from consumable materials to our proprietary, industrialized PVT reactors — TekSiC is uniquely positioned to secure critical semiconductor supply for Europe,” says CEO Joachim Tollstoy. “Our scientists and engineers will keep pushing the limits to deliver industry-leading materials and systems, supporting both European self-reliance and global market demand.”
Linköping-based TekSiC appoints Joachim Tollstoy as CEO
www.innovativematerials.se/project/halvledare-en-svensk-vardekedja
