[News] World’s First 6-Inch InP Photonic Chip Industrial Wafer Fab Broke Ground

As a critically important III-V compound semiconductor, indium phosphide (InP) has been widely used in cutting-edge technology fields such as optical communications, quantum-dot televisions, and space photovoltaics, thanks to its favorable bandgap, exceptionally high optoelectronic efficiency, and excellent thermal conductivity.

Recently, the InP sector has seen a major development: the world’s first industrial wafer fab dedicated to 6-inch InP photonic chips has officially broken ground in Europe. Meanwhile, China’s 2026 Government Work Report has explicitly called for the development of future industries including 6G, further strengthening market expectations for InP amid the momentum surrounding next-generation communications.

Over Euro 150 Million Investment: 6-Inch InP Fab Began Construction in Europe

A facility described as the “world’s first” industrial wafer fab for 6-inch (150 mm) indium phosphide photonic chips has recently broken ground in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, which will manufacture 6-inch photonic wafers—thin circular substrates. Chips made on these wafers process and transmit data using light rather than conventional electrical signals, representing a major shift in information-processing technology.

The project brings together leading European industry and research institutions. It is jointly supported by the Dutch research organization TNO, Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), PhotonDelta, SMART Photonics, and the Eindhoven High Tech Campus. Total investment in the facility exceeds Euro 150 million, with direct financial support from the European Chips Act.

According to the project roadmap, the fab is scheduled to enter full operation by 2028. At that point, it is expected to reach an annual production capacity of up to 10,000 wafers and 10 million photonic chips, potentially accelerating the commercialization of photonic integrated circuits.

6G Momentum Boosts InP Outlook as Global Players Step Up Investments

Aside from Europe’s substantial investment, macro-policy signals and the evolution of next-generation communications technologies are increasingly highlighting the strategic importance of indium phosphide.

China’s 2026 Government Work Report explicitly proposes establishing a long-term funding and risk-sharing mechanism for emerging sectors, with priority support for areas such as future energy, quantum technologies, embodied intelligence, brain-computer interfaces, and 6G.

Widely regarded as the next global communications standard following 5G, 6G is expected to serve as both the “engine” of an interconnected world and the foundational infrastructure of the digital era. Future 6G networks are projected to support peak data rates at the terabit-per-second level, air-interface latency as low as 0.1 milliseconds, and connection densities reaching tens of millions of devices per square kilometer. Through integrated space-air-ground-sea networks, 6G could enable seamless connectivity spanning from the deep ocean to outer space.

Within this vast 6G ecosystem, compound semiconductor materials—including gallium arsenide (GaAs), gallium nitride (GaN), and indium phosphide (InP)—along with terahertz RF devices will form the technological foundation of the upstream value chain.

Among them, indium phosphide stands out for its outstanding high-frequency performance, ultra-high-speed operation, and efficient optoelectronic conversion capabilities. These characteristics position InP as a key material for next-generation technologies such as terahertz communications, optoelectronic integration, satellite communications, and quantum technologies—areas expected to benefit significantly from the development of 6G.

The enormous market potential has triggered intense global competition. At present, the global InP industry is primarily concentrated in Japan, the United States, and China, with international players still maintaining technological leadership due to decades of accumulated expertise.

Japan’s Sumitomo Electric Industries remains the global leader in the InP substrate market. Using the vertical Bridgman (VB) crystal-growth method, the company is able to reliably supply high-quality substrates ranging from 2 to 6 inches that are widely adopted in optical communication and RF devices. It has maintained close partnerships with leading optical module manufacturers worldwide. Companies such as the U.S.-based AXT and France’s InPact also play important roles in the global InP ecosystem.

Chinese companies—including Yunnan Germanium, GRINM Advanced Materials, San’an Optoelectronics, and Shaanxi Injay Semiconductor—are actively promoting the localization of indium phosphide technologies and accelerating the development of the domestic supply chain.

(Photo credit: FREEPIK)