Advanced non-silicon semiconductor crystals enable the next generation of semiconductor devices, but their adoption has been limited by technical and economic barriers.
K1 Semiconductor comes at the problem with a new and exciting wafer technology which redefines the possibilities for heterogeneous semiconductor systems.
From AI data centers to quantum computing and telecommunications, global semiconductor innovation demands materials that can handle extreme voltage, heat, and/or data bandwidths. Next generation materials like silicon carbide, gallium nitride, lithium niobate, and indium phosphide are the solution, but manufacturing them to be used within chips remains the industry’s greatest bottleneck. Traditional wafer production is not build for the ultradense heterogeneous systems of the future, and K1 Semiconductor has found a way to bridge that gap.
K1 Semiconductor provides the ideal, scalable solution through our innovative spalling technology. By depositing a highly stressed layer to carefully propagate a subsurface crack, we deterministically release a flawless 5 to 50 micrometer active layer from the parent wafer. This process uses 95% less bulk crystal, bypasses the damage caused by heavy ion implantation, and works seamlessly with ultrahard, refractory materials like SiC and diamond that have historically resisted wafer splitting. By bonding this pristine layer to an engineered handle wafer, we deliver uncompromised bulk-quality performance at a fraction of the traditional material cost.
K1’s wafer-splitting (“spalling”) platform technology produces ultra-thin layers that can enable heterogeneous “engineered” wafers delivering generational performance gains.
K1 is led by a multidisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, and business operators — backed by world-class advisors experienced in semiconductor manufacturing and deep-tech commercialization.
