Outlook Supplement - Flipbook - Page 13
Forecast
more efficient power conversion in
data centers and electrified systems.
GaN adoption is accelerating, with
production beginning to shift to 300mm
wafers, which will ultimately deliver
the lowest-cost manufacturing option.
We are thus entering 2026 with a strong
position in 300mm for our Propel 300
GaN MOCVD product.
Photonics is another area where
we anticipate substantial progress.
Indium phosphide (InP) lasers remain
increasingly important for hyperscale
data center infrastructure, and Veeco
has already secured key wins in this
space while actively competing for
additional customers. As AI continues
to reshape cloud
architectures, both
GaN and InP will play
critical roles in enabling higher-performance, lower-power
optical and electrical
interconnects.
MicroLEDs also
continue to advance,
ANIL
particularly for
VIJAYENDRAN
augmented reality
(AR) glasses, high-end TVs, and
smartwatches, further broadening opportunities for our Lumina MOCVD
platform. While manufacturing has
not yet reached volume, pilot lines
are expanding to address resolution
and power-efficiency requirements.
The industry is watching leading AR
platforms closely and preparing for
broader adoption as costs come down.
We see 2026-27 as seeding years for
microLED, laying the foundation
for broader commercialization in
2028-29.
Across these markets, forecasting
demand remains one of the biggest
challenges in the compound semiconductor ecosystem. Unlike silicon
nodes—where roadmaps are well
defined—compound semiconductor devices evolve based on performance and
cost, and transitions such as the move
www.semiconductordigest.com
to 200mm and 300mm wafers require
adapting front-end methodologies to
III-Vs. Regardless of the end market,
lowering cost across the value chain is
critical.
Success in 2026 will depend on strong
customer partnerships, deep alignment
with roadmaps, and the ability to scale
with the right technologies at the right
time. Veeco is laying this groundwork
today—strengthening its MOCVD
portfolio, advancing next-generation
epitaxy platforms, and positioning with
customers as they prepare for future
high-volume ramps.
The Entirely Curvilinear
Photomask Era Has Arrived
AKI FUJIMURA, C E O ,
D2S
Moving into 2026, semiconductor
manufacturing has reached a curve
in the road – one driven by the
convergence of GPU acceleration,
pixel-based computing, eBeam
multi-beam mask writers, and entirely
curvilinear inverse lithography
technology (ILT). Exploratory work
at organizations like imec and Micron
has evolved into an industry-wide
movement. The consensus is growing:
entirely curvilinear photomasks are
not only possible, they’re inevitable.
In the mask shop, from ILT to mask
process correction (MPC), every stage
of the manufacturing chain is being
reshaped by the ability to process and
optimize true curves. Entirely curvilinear masks use only shapes that can
be manufactured. When you use mask
shapes that can actually be manufactured, the mask you design is the
mask that prints. This transition from
rectilinear Manhattan geometries
(which do not print as true rectangles) to
entirely curvilinear features embraces
the inherent smoothness of the natural
world – where 90° angles don’t exist
– to unlock the potential of curves for
improved performance and efficiency
in silicon.
D2S has invested in the shared
vision for an entirely curvilinear mask
ecosystem for over 16 years. GPU
acceleration has broken the computational barriers that once made entirely
curvilinear masks impractical. D2S
is a key player in the revolution
enabling the industry’s transition to
entirely curvilinear manufacturing by
offering GPU-accelerated, pixel-based
solutions for computing entirely
curvilinear masks (TrueMask® ILT),
and for computing MPC for entirely
curvilinear masks (pixel-level dose
correction, or PLDC). D2S TrueMask
ILT enables you to ask for manufacturable curves and with D2S PLDC
you get the mask you ask for. These
solutions demonstrate how GPU-acceleration and pixel-based computing
can turn complex mask shapes into
manufacturable realities, written by
shape-agnostic multi-beam mask
writers. The results are not just better
masks, but wafers with enhanced
yield and reduced variability.
Micron’s leadership in applying
both ILT and PLDC technologies,
most recently recognized for a best
paper award at the 2025 Photomask
Japan conference, has helped legitimize curvilinear ILT as a cornerstone of next-generation lithography.
Their work shows that the advantages
of an entirely curvilinear mask
ecosystem extend far beyond theory.
Meanwhile, Tekscend Photomask was
awarded best poster at Photomask
Japan for demonstrating PLDC benefits in mask manufacturing for their
customers.
2026 will be remembered as the
year when “curvy masks” moved from
conference slides to production lines.
GPU acceleration, multi-beam mask
writers, and an entirely curvilinear
mask ecosystem have made the aspirational achievable.
The next generation of semiconductors will be shaped by the elegance
of curves.
Semiconductor Digest Supplement to January 2026
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