News: Optoelectronics
15 September 2026
Sumitomo Chemical Advanced Technologies to provide epiwafers for Aeluma
Aeluma Inc of Goleta, CA, USA (which specializes in high-performance, scalable technologies for AI, mobile and consumer, defense & aerospace, and quantum) has executed an agreement with Sumitomo Chemical Advanced Technologies of Phoenix, AZ, USA (SCAT, a subsidiairy of Japan’s Sumitomo Chemical Co Ltd) to accelerate development and production of photonics wafers for the AI datacom market. The agreement will initially leverage existing metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) capabilities at SCAT’s manufacturing facility, and provides a path for increasing capacity in the future.
Aeluma’s large-diameter non-indium phosphide (non-InP) photonics platform combines what is claimed to be best-in-class materials with mass-market microelectronics manufacturing. With InP substrates in short supply, and geopolitics adding risk and uncertainty, alternative approaches are being considered to meet the demand for high-performance photonics components such as photodetectors and lasers. Traditional InP manufacturing is carried out on 100mm substrates and smaller. While 150mm InP lines are being established, new fabs require time and resources to qualify, and InP substrates are expensive and in short supply, notes Aeluma.
Aeluma’s heterogeneous integration approaches leverage non-InP substrates such as 150mm gallium arsenide (GaAs) and 200-300mm silicon (Si) that are more readily available. In addition to the partnership with SCAT, Aeluma complements its in-house MOCVD capabilities by working with established large-volume GaAs and Si foundries for component fabrication, eliminating dependence on new fab buildouts and associated qualification timelines.
SCAT produces epitaxial wafers at its facility in Phoenix for the optical communications, smartphone, wireless and automotive industries.
“SCAT is an ideal partner to pair with Aeluma’s in-house MOCVD that is capable of producing wafers of any size, including large-diameter 150mm, 200mm and 300mm substrates,” comments Aeluma’s founder & CEO Jonathan Klamkin Ph.D. “We have been working with SCAT for several years. This new agreement aims to strengthen our relationship and set the stage for accelerated development, qualification, production, and future potential expansion,” he adds.
“The demand for epitaxial wafers for photodetectors and lasers has grown significantly, but InP substrate supply is limiting development and production efforts,” notes SCAT’s president & executive officer Dr Ken Campman. “Aeluma’s technology is a promising solution for the datacom market and may impact other markets as well.”
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Sumitomo Chemical exhibiting compound semiconductor products at Photonics West
