TekSiC Advances Europe’s First Domestic Semi-Insulating SiC Wafer Supply for Defence and Space

Swedish semiconductor materials company TekSiC has reached several important milestones in its efforts to establish Europe’s first commercially available domestic supply of semi-insulating silicon carbide (SI-SiC) wafers for space, defence and radio-frequency (RF) applications.

The company is developing a European supply base for a material that is increasingly important in high-frequency and high-power electronics. Semi-insulating SiC wafers are used as substrates for technologies such as GaN-based RF devices, supporting applications including radar, satellite communications, electronic warfare and advanced telecommunications.

TekSiC's initiative is aimed at strengthening Europe's semiconductor supply chain by developing local capabilities for the production of this strategically important material. The company emerged from silicon carbide research at Linköping University and has been developing both crystal-growth equipment and manufacturing processes for SI-SiC wafers.

Building a European SiC Supply Chain

The availability of semi-insulating SiC substrates has become an increasingly important consideration for the European semiconductor ecosystem. Demand is growing for high-performance RF electronics used in aerospace, defence, telecommunications and other applications where devices must operate reliably at high frequencies and power levels.

TekSiC is seeking to address this gap by developing a domestic manufacturing capability. Its approach combines proprietary wafer-processing technology with its Xforge crystal-growth platform, providing the company with control over key stages of the production process.

The company has already secured an order from an international manufacturer entering the silicon carbide wafer market and is participating in a Swedish national semiconductor initiative involving organisations from the defence, telecommunications and semiconductor sectors.

SiC Supports Advanced RF and Defence Applications

Semi-insulating SiC provides a combination of electrical isolation, thermal performance and material stability that makes it attractive for demanding RF applications. It can serve as a substrate for GaN-based devices used in radar systems, satellite communications and other high-frequency electronics.

These characteristics are particularly relevant to defence and space systems, where components must deliver high performance while operating under demanding environmental conditions. The material is also gaining importance as communications networks and satellite infrastructure require increasingly capable RF technologies.

For Europe, developing domestic access to these substrates could help reduce exposure to external supply chains and support greater resilience across strategic electronics industries.

Xforge Platform Supports Commercialisation

TekSiC's Xforge PVT furnace platform is central to its materials strategy. The system is designed for silicon carbide crystal growth at temperatures exceeding 2,500°C and has already been supplied to industrial customers.

By developing its own crystal-growth equipment alongside wafer-production processes, TekSiC aims to build a more integrated manufacturing capability rather than relying entirely on external equipment and material suppliers.

The company has also attracted investment to accelerate commercialisation of its SI-SiC technology. Earlier funding is being used to expand the Xforge platform and advance the development of its wafer-production capabilities.

Strengthening Europe’s Semiconductor Sovereignty

TekSiC's progress comes amid broader European efforts to establish more resilient semiconductor supply chains and reduce dependence on overseas sources for strategically important materials and components.

Semi-insulating SiC represents a specialised part of the semiconductor materials market, but its role in RF and microwave technologies makes reliable supply particularly important for defence, space and communications applications.

By developing a domestic source, TekSiC aims to provide European customers with greater access to locally produced SI-SiC wafers while supporting the region's ambitions to strengthen its semiconductor and advanced electronics capabilities.

As demand for high-frequency communications, radar, satellite systems and other advanced RF applications continues to increase, the development of a European SI-SiC supply chain could become an important element of the continent's broader semiconductor strategy.