Denmark opens first advanced wafer facility for global chip production

Denmark opens first advanced wafer facility for global chip production
by Robert Schreiber
Berlin, Germany (SPX) Aug 26, 2025

Denmark has inaugurated its first facility capable of manufacturing wafers at the world-leading 300 mm standard, marking a significant step in reducing European dependence on imported microchips. The POEM Technology Center was launched on 21 August at the University of Copenhagen's Niels Bohr Institute.

The initiative is a partnership between the Novo Nordisk Foundation Quantum Computing Programme (NQCP) and French equipment supplier RIBER. Wafers, ultra-pure crystal slices deposited on silicon, form the foundation of modern chips. The new center positions Denmark to play a larger role in the global chip supply chain while supporting European technological sovereignty.

"This new partnership can accelerate the development of tomorrow's microchips in Denmark and Europe and thereby help address the geopolitical and technological challenges that define the global chip industry. Hopefully, it will also position Denmark on the international market," said Peter Krogstrup, NQCP CEO and professor at the Niels Bohr Institute.

The facility's core technology is molecular beam epitaxy, a process that allows researchers to build wafers atom by atom with exceptional precision and purity. This approach is vital for the development of next-generation photonic chips, designed for high-speed communication, optical data processing, and quantum circuits.

Researchers emphasize that having in-house production capacity is essential for advancing quantum technology. NQCP's long-term mission is to develop scalable, efficient quantum computers within the next decade. Direct access to wafer fabrication will accelerate experimentation and enable rapid transition from laboratory innovation to industrial-scale production.

"With this facility, we are moving material production in-house, which allows us to research and develop much more efficiently, because we are no longer dependent on asking others around the world to produce for us. Moreover, it helps us transfer the technologies we develop directly into mass production-for the benefit of ourselves, Denmark, and the entire field," noted Krogstrup.

The POEM Technology Center will also be accessible to industrial partners for prototype development. Located in the Niels Bohr Building, the facility will be operated by engineers and technicians from both NQCP and RIBER. Full operation is expected within a year.

According to Joachim Mathiesen, head of the Niels Bohr Institute, "POEM is an example of how Danish research and European industry can collaborate to solve key high-tech challenges. We will benefit greatly from RIBER's advanced equipment, while they in turn gain access to the world-class technological expertise we have built up here at the institute over many years."

Collaborators on the project include DTU Nanolab, NATO Diana, and Aarhus University, strengthening Denmark's ecosystem in advanced microchips and quantum research.