Press Release: Black Semiconductor acquires Applied Nanolayers

Black Semiconductor, a pioneer in chip connectivity integrating photonics and electronics on the same wafer, has announced the acquisition of Applied Nanolayers (ANL), a strategic move to significantly accelerate the development of its Integrated Graphene Photonics (IGP) technology. The acquisition is expected to speed up Black Semiconductor’s technology development by two years. The acquisition combines Black Semiconductor’s expertise in chip architectures and photonic process technology with ANL’s specialized knowledge in graphene material production. 

Founded in 2012 and now operating as Black Semiconductor Netherlands, the ANL team has 12 years of experience in developing scalable wafer-level graphene integration technology. This acquisition provides Black Semiconductor with a leap forward in processing the highest quality of graphene with a semi-automated 200mm process platform capable of producing 10,000 wafers per year, which will be scaled up to a fully automated 300mm process to reach over 1 million wafers per year. 

The integration of ANL’s expertise perfectly aligns with the opening of Black Semiconductor’s new FabONE headquarters in January 2025, which positions the company to build the first IGP 300mm wafer pilot line in 2025, a significant step towards volume production based on graphene material from 2029. This step not only advances technology development, but also reinforces Black Semiconductor’s commitment to progressing chip technology and strengthening Europe’s position in the global semiconductor landscape.