From TechCrunch · Kate Park · · 1m 40s
Singapore startup bets on 2D semiconductors for chip fabs
Nexstrom is raising funds to manufacture ultra-thin transistors at scale, targeting production between 2030 and 2035.
In brief
Nexstrom is raising funds to manufacture ultra-thin transistors at scale, targeting production between 2030 and 2035. Nexstrom is developing equipment to grow 2D materials directly on standard chip wafers, addressing the gap between lab-scale success and mass manufacturing. Originally reported by TechCrunch.
Silicon transistors hit a wall
Shrinking transistors to pack more onto chips causes electron leakage, power loss, and heat problems. Chipmakers need a new approach.
Meet 2D semiconductors
Transition-metal dichalcogenides, or TMDs, are materials just a few atomic layers thick that could replace silicon and shrink chips further.
The lab-to-factory gap
Scientists can make high-quality 2D materials in labs, but only in tiny quantities. Nexstrom aims to produce them at scale on standard 300mm wafers.
“In the lab, people can get very small, high-quality materials, but only on a very small scale.”
Industry giants are watching
TSMC, Intel, Samsung, and IMEC are all developing 2D material integration. Nexstrom plans to partner with them rather than compete directly.
Nexstrom raises 12 million
The Singapore startup closed a seed round from Xora, Foothill Ventures, and SEEDS, bringing total funding to 15 million dollars.
Scaling from inches to feet
Nexstrom has proven results on 2-inch to 6-inch wafers and plans to complete 8-inch wafers by end of October using its newly installed 12-inch system.
Consistent growth is the challenge
The biggest hurdle is reliably growing TMDs across an entire full-size wafer. Nexstrom is working on material quality, process control, and measurement capabilities.
Commercial production in 2030s
Nexstrom expects its equipment to be ready for commercial production between 2030 and 2035, with funding going toward team expansion and customer qualification programs.
The main idea
Nexstrom is developing equipment to grow 2D materials directly on standard chip wafers, addressing the gap between lab-scale success and mass manufacturing.
