2D Pilot Line Advances Next-Gen Semiconductor Integration at SEMICON Europa 2025

The 2D Pilot Line (2D-PL), a European initiative under the Graphene Flagship, demonstrated significant progress in integrating two-dimensional (2D) materials such as graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) into conventional silicon-based semiconductor platforms at SEMICON Europa 2025, held in Munich from 18-21 November 2025.

Bridging Lab Research and Industrial Manufacturing

The 2D-PL project focuses on accelerating the transition of 2D materials from laboratory research to industrial-scale semiconductor manufacturing. This is achieved by developing end-to-end prototyping services in a fab-relevant environment that adheres to industrial semiconductor manufacturing standards. The project covers the entire process chain, including material growth, transfer, device integration, metrology, and application testing.

A key feature presented at SEMICON Europa was a prototype 300 mm integrated wafer incorporating tungsten disulfide (WS2), developed by the research partner imec. This demonstration highlights the feasibility of wafer-scale integration of 2D materials compatible with CMOS processes, which is critical for scalable industrial production.

Multi-Project Wafer Runs and Customer Engagement

The 2D-PL offers multi-project wafer (MPW) runs, allowing multiple customer designs to be integrated on shared wafers. This approach significantly reduces costs and lowers entry barriers for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and academic institutions, fostering innovation across the semiconductor ecosystem.

At SEMICON Europa, 2D-PL representatives highlighted four active MPW programs targeting CMOS devices, photonics applications, and biosensors. Customers participating in the pilot line have access to a 50% fee reduction by providing extended feedback, helping optimize processes and device performance.

Innovations in 2D Materials Integration

The project has made strides in integrating semiconducting TMDCs, graphene field-effect transistors (GFETs), and graphene-based photonic integrated circuits (PICs) onto silicon platforms. These advances enable low-power, high-speed electronic and photonic devices with applications in sensing, data communication, and computing.

Complementary research, including a collaboration between Graphenea and imec, has demonstrated wafer-scale integration of graphene electro-optic devices with performance metrics such as electro-optical bandwidths up to 15.1 GHz and modulation depths of 50 dB/mm using CMOS-compatible fabrication methods. These achievements pave the way for next-generation optoelectronic components integrated with standard semiconductor processes.

European Ecosystem for Semiconductor Innovation

The 2D-PL project builds on the foundation laid by the 2D Experimental Pilot Line (2D-EPL) and is funded by the European Commission to mature 2D material integration technologies until 2028. By providing open-access platforms and fostering collaboration among academia, SMEs, larger industries, and foundries, the 2D-PL contributes to Europe's mission to lead in semiconductor innovation.

According to Jari Kinaret, a key project figure, SEMICON Europa provided an ideal forum to engage with the semiconductor community and address the challenges of scaling lab-ready 2D material concepts to fab-compatible demonstrators.

Future Perspectives

The ongoing work aims to establish a robust, industrially viable supply chain for 2D materials integrated semiconductors, enabling a new generation of devices with enhanced functionalities, including biosensing, photonics, and electronics. The 2D-PL’s approach of multi-project wafer runs combined with process optimization and customer collaboration is expected to democratize access to advanced 2D material technologies and accelerate their market adoption.

Through these innovations, the 2D Pilot Line project stands to transform the semiconductor industry by embedding novel materials into existing silicon technology, unlocking performance improvements and new application spaces.

Written by Deepak Periyasamy.

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