Atomera and IQE sign joint development deal for RF GaN-on-silicon chips

what happened

Atomera, a licensor of semiconductor transistor materials and technology, has signed a joint development agreement (JDA) with IQE plc, a major global supplier of compound semiconductor wafers. According to Atomera, the companies will work on RF GaN-on-silicon using its Mears Silicon Technology (MST).

The project will focus on producing and testing MST-enabled GaN-on-silicon wafers and making samples available to foundry, IDM and fabless customers. The initial focus is on RF applications, though the agreement allows expansion into power electronics. The companies expect a multi-cycle development process.

Atomera's president and CEO, Scott Bibaud, said IQE could become an influential manufacturer of MST-enabled wafers.

why it matters

This is mainly a technology update: the deal is at an early stage, and no commercial volumes or financial terms were disclosed. For Atomera investors it reflects progress in its licensing model, while for the RF component market it signals possible interest in cheaper GaN substrates, without firm timelines yet.

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