The recent inauguration of Denmark's first 300mm wafer fabrication facility marks a decisive step forward for Denmark in achieving technological self-sufficiency in Europe. The new facility, named the POEM Technology Center, is a collaboration between Denmark, the Novo Nordisk Foundation's Quantum Chip Project (NQCP), and the French company Riber, and is located within the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen. Positioned as a hub for photonics and quantum chip manufacturing, the center integrates advanced technologies such as molecular beam epitaxy, aiming to accelerate technological breakthroughs and strengthen the ecosystem of microchips and quantum technologies in Denmark and Europe.
“With this facility, we can integrate materials production in-house, enabling us to conduct research and development more efficiently without relying on other companies around the world for production,” said Peter Krogstroup, CEO of NQCP and professor at the Niels Bohr Institute. “Furthermore, it helps us directly translate research and development technologies into large-scale production—which benefits not only ourselves but also Denmark and the entire industry.”
He added, “We see huge demand for 300mm wafers in Europe. We will be able to supply materials quickly to large foundries and small wafer fabs that have cutting-edge 300mm equipment because we can cut components from our wafers to fit their smaller wafer sizes.”
The POEM Technology Center is scheduled to be fully operational within a year, at which time it will mass-produce silicon and silicon-on-insulator wafers. Krogstrup and his colleagues will use Riber's advanced epitaxial technology to grow strontium titanate (STO) and barium titanate (BTO) thin film structures on wafers for the fabrication of electro-optic detectors, transmitters, and waveguides—key components for integrating photonic platforms and complex quantum circuits.
Krogstrom stated that the first materials for research and development will be ready by the end of the year. Currently, he and his colleagues are building a complete chip manufacturing infrastructure, including wafer fabrication, dicing, and slicing equipment. The center will serve as a pilot production line and a chip prototyping center. "We will be able to quickly fabricate thin-film materials on wafers and then deliver chips to anyone interested," he said. "At the same time, we will also conduct exploratory research to develop cutting-edge structures."
He added, "Currently, we will continue in the research and development phase until we find the right way to build the components needed for quantum computing, which is our main focus."
Krogstrup anticipates that the innovations at the POEM Technology Centre will help NQCP achieve its fault-tolerant quantum computing goals more quickly: “At NQCP, we have a large-scale automated characterization suite that can verify and characterize the structure of the entire wafer. Our materials and qubit characterization teams have developed methods that can quickly provide material properties and quality feedback. Therefore, by combining these technologies with POEM, we will have a complete closed loop for local photonics and quantum chip development.”
Several key Danish institutions, including the Technical University of Denmark's National Centre for Nanofabrication and Characterization (DTU Nanolab) and the NATO North Atlantic Defence Innovation Accelerator (DIANA), participated in the project. DIANA supports dual-purpose deep technologies, including quantum and photonic technologies, for both commercial and defense applications. "Many of our optical modulators and photonic integrated circuits will be helpful for (commercial) sensors and data processing," Krogstrop noted.
Crucially, the POEM technology center aligns with broader European efforts to reduce reliance on US and Asian chips. Similarly, in Denmark, the Novo Nordisk Foundation and the Danish Export Investment Fund jointly invested €80 million in the QuNorth project, aiming to establish Denmark's next-generation quantum computer. Supported by the EU's chip law, numerous public-private partnerships have emerged, aiming to double Europe's share of global semiconductor production to 20% by 2030. In July of this year, the European Commission proposed a quantum strategy that includes establishing quantum design centers and pilot production lines for quantum chips, aiming to help Europe become a global leader in this field by 2030.
Krogstrop stated, "In these uncertain times, when we are unsure of who we can rely on, we are all interested in technological autonomy. Having numerous (facilities) in Europe is beneficial, and POEM is particularly important because the field of integrated photonics is booming."
He added, "Currently, there are no production lines in Europe capable of meeting the demand for our upcoming STO and BTO materials production. Imec in Belgium is also expanding its production lines. This new capacity will be very beneficial."
Looking ahead, Krogstrom anticipates that the POEM Technology Centre will collaborate with 300mm wafer foundries across Europe. He also hopes to partner with 300mm wafer foundries in more distant regions, as well as GlobalFoundries in the US and TSMC in Taiwan, in the areas of advanced photonics and quantum device manufacturing. "For example, quantum interconnects will play a crucial role when quantum computers begin mass production," he said.
Therefore, from now until 2030, the CEO of NQCP and his colleagues will be dedicated to developing the POEM Technology Centre into a truly national-level advanced quantum and photonic chip ecosystem. “We will continue to operate as part of an (international) ecosystem, because no one can go it alone… but we hope to collaborate more with different stakeholders and tool companies involved in 300mm technology,” said Krogstrop. “Riber was the first company to join us, but we will build a larger (center) for other companies to come and develop their latest products and cutting-edge technologies.”
Post time: Nov-24-2025