Second-generation platform delivers advanced control, in-cycle annealing, and high-throughput performance for Wide Bandgap power and RF device manufacturing

Espoo, Finland, November 24, 2025 – Beneq introduces the Beneq Transform® XP, a second-generation ALD platform developed to meet the performance demands of Wide Bandgap (WBG) power and RF device technology development and manufacturing. Building on the proven Beneq Transform® platform, the new system adds advanced ALD control, faster cycle times, and greater process capabilities in a high-throughput format.

The Beneq Transform® XP features a second-generation, flow-optimized 25-wafer mini-batch thermal ALD reactor that achieves breakthrough deposition rates with single-digit-second cycle times for common ALD oxides and nitrides. Refined flow and pressure dynamics ensure exceptional within-wafer and wafer-to-wafer uniformity – even at a few nm film thicknesses – while precise dwell-time control delivers excellent conformality on high-aspect-ratio structures.

Transform® XP also introduces advanced PEALD process control to precisely manage low-energy ions. This enables optimized plasma pre-cleaning and deposition, resulting in improved interface quality, tunable passivation, and enhanced device performance and reliability. The system integrates in-cycle annealing, a proprietary step that densifies and purifies films to achieve stoichiometric, low-impurity materials and crystalline alignment, such as AlN lattice orientation.

“Transform® XP is our response to the next wave of device challenges in power and RF manufacturing,” said Dr. Mikko Söderlund, Head of Sales, Semiconductor ALD at Beneq. “Customers value the original Transform® for its versatility and reliability. With XP, we introduce capabilities they specifically asked for – improved ion control, faster cycles, and in-cycle film densification – all in a versatile platform.”

With over a dozen Beneq Transform® clusters installed globally for WBG pilot and production use, and more than 100 process modules shipped, Beneq continues to support leading IDMs, foundries, and RTOs advancing More-than-Moore technologies.

About Beneq

Beneq pioneered industrial production of Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) with the introduction of the first commercial ALD equipment in 1984. Today, Beneq advances ALD adoption and validation with a portfolio that includes the Beneq Transform®, Transform XP, Transform 300, Transmute™, and Prodigy™ for specialty semiconductor device fabrication; TFS 200 and TFS 500 for R&D; the P400A, P800, and P1500 batch systems for coating critical semiconductor chamber components and complex part geometries; and spatial ALD platforms such as the C2R™ and Genesis for roll-to-roll processing. Headquartered in Espoo, Finland, Beneq enables ALD integration from lab to fab for semiconductors, optics, and functional coatings.

Press Contact
Charlotte Bärlund
Event and Communications Lead
[email protected]

• Read more about Beneq Launches Beneq Transform® XP – Redefining Atomic Control in ALD

Breker Verification Systems today confirmed its RISC-V functional verification solutions were pivotal for verification of the NOEL-V, one of Frontgrade Gaisler’s fault-tolerant RISC-V processor IP cores.

“The development of Frontgrade Gaisler’s IP cores is guided by a philosophy that does not tolerate design issues,” notes Jan Andersson, Director of Engineering at Frontgrade Gaisler. “This demands the most robust verification environment, something Breker’s verification solution has contributed to improve, with its broad range of tests and in-depth corner case coverage.”

The ultra-high verification coverage afforded by Breker’s RISC-V SystemVIP and Test Suite Synthesis products make it a key technology in Frontgrade Gaisler’s development program. Breker provides test suites for the complete verification of RISC-V cores and SoCs from detailed microarchitectural analysis to advanced system integrity validation.

The NOEL-V processor by Frontgrade Gaisler, targets high-reliability applications, with its high-performance and fault-tolerant design. Built on the RISC-V architecture, NOEL-V offers customization options, allowing SoC designers to create solutions tailored to their specific needs. The processor is at the heart of the GR765, Frontgrade’s next-generation radiation-hardened space microprocessor.

“We are delighted to work with Frontgrade Gaisler to achieve their extreme coverage goals and eliminate unpredictable corner cases, both of which are necessary given the extreme environments in which their devices are deployed,” says David Kelf, Breker’s CEO. “Our RISC-V test suites have become an essential component in the development flows of over 20 commercial entities and other organizations, providing us with unique experience with the numerous unusual verification issues inherent in these processors.”

Breker extended testing to target advanced, system-level integrity, in addition to its existing test suites and generators focused on instruction set architecture testing, included in its RISC-V SystemVIP. It provides coverage by driving cross functional stress verification and unpredictable corner case discovery with its test suite synthesis technology applied across the verification flow from simulation, through emulation and prototyping to post silicon validation.

About Frontgrade Gaisler
Frontgrade Gaisler, a Frontgrade company, is a leading provider of radiation-hardened microprocessors and IP cores for critical applications, particularly in the space industry. The company’s processors are ideal for any space mission or other high-reliability application due to their reliability, fault tolerance, and radiation tolerance. Frontgrade Gaisler microprocessors can be found all over the solar system, from Mercury to Neptune. www.gaisler.com

About Breker Verification Systems
Breker Verification Systems solves complex semiconductor challenges across the functional verification process from streamlining UVM-based testbench composition to execution for IP block verification, significantly enhancing SoC integration and firmware verification with automated solutions that provide test content portability and reuse. Breker’s solutions include a SystemVIP library of scenarios for RISC-V and Arm, core and SoC testing, coherency, security and other critical areas. Breker solutions easily layer into existing environments and operate across simulation, emulation, prototyping, and post-silicon execution platforms. Its Trek family is production-proven at leading semiconductor companies worldwide and enables design managers and verification engineers to realize measurable productivity gains, speed coverage closure and easy verification knowledge reuse. As a leader in the development of the Accellera Portable Stimulus Standard (PSS), privately held Breker has a reputation for dramatically reducing verification schedules in advanced development environments. Case studies that feature Analog Devices, Broadcom, IBM and other companies leveraging Breker’s solutions are available on the Breker website.

Engage with Breker at:
Website: www.brekersystems.com
Twitter: @BrekerSystems
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/breker-verification-systems/

• Read more about Breker Verification Systems and Frontgrade Gaisler Collaborate on High-Reliability RISC-V Fault-Tolerant Processor Core

New platform delivers ALD film quality at production throughput for Wide Bandgap and other specialty device manufacturing

Espoo, Finland, November 19, 2025 – Beneq, a global leader in Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) equipment and solutions, today announced Beneq Transmute™, a next-generation ALD platform designed for high-volume semiconductor manufacturing. Engineered for high volume production of Wide Bandgap (WBG) power electronics, advanced RF devices, μLED and other specialty devices, Beneq Transmute™ combines performance, scalability, and cost efficiency in one system.

Atomic precision at manufacturing speed

Beneq Transmute™ extends the performance of the Beneq Transform® XP platform into production environments with Beneq’s proprietary 3-step ALD architecture. By combining plasma pre-treatment, plasma-enhanced ALD (PEALD), and thermal batch ALD, the platform delivers conformal, high-performance dielectric stacks with atomic-level interface control – now at high throughput.

Its flow-uniform 25-wafer chambers, paired with advanced precursor dosing technology, enable rapid cycle times, optimized wafer coverage, and reduced precursor waste – resulting in a low cost of ownership across a broad range of semiconductor applications.

“Beneq Transmute™ represents a major leap forward in making ALD a truly high-volume manufacturing solution,” said Lucas Monteiro, Head of Product at Beneq. “By combining the precision of ALD with throughput and scalability that match production demands, we are giving our customers the ability to produce next-generation Wide Bandgap and RF devices at high throughput and low cost of ownership – with the uncompromised film quality that Beneq is known for.”

Designed for dedicated production requirements

Beneq Transmute™ supports both thermal and plasma-enhanced ALD within a modular cluster architecture that enables dedicated configurations. With up to two transfer chambers and eleven process module slots – including PEALD, Thermal, Buffer, and Preheater – each system can be tailored to match specific customer applications and fab roadmaps while ensuring long-term scalability.

Enabling the next wave of electronics

Beneq Transmute™ directly supports key semiconductor market trends – including the electrification of transport, adoption of renewable energy, 5G and RF communications, data centers and next-generation displays. Its combination of atomic precision and production throughput positions Beneq as a technology enabler for a more efficient, connected, and sustainable future.

About Beneq

Beneq pioneered industrial Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) with the introduction of the first commercial ALD equipment in 1984. Today, Beneq advances ALD technology adoption and validation with a portfolio that includes Transform®, Transform® 300, and Prodigy™ for specialty semiconductor device fabrication; TFS 200 and TFS 500 for R&D; and innovative spatial ALD platforms such as the C2R™ and Genesis for rolltoroll processing. Beneq’s systems support process innovation from lab to fab, enabling integration of ALD in advanced manufacturing. Headquartered in Espoo, Finland, Beneq operates globally to help customers scale ALD solutions for the future of semiconductors, optics, and functional coatings.

Press Contact:
Charlotte Bärlund
Event and Communications Lead
[email protected]

• Read more about Beneq Unveils Beneq Transmute™ – High-Throughput ALD for Power, RF, and μLED Device Production

New SECS-II library helps fabs and OEMs integrate semiconductor tools with the MES in hybrid manufacturing sites, ensuring faster time to market and limiting integration costs

MUNICH, November 18, 2025 – Agileo Automation, a leading provider of control and connectivity solutions for global semiconductor manufacturing, today unveils Agil’SECS-II at Booth #C2518 at SEMICON Europa 2025. This new SECS-II library, featuring built-in SEMI standard communication, enables a manufacturing execution system (MES) to accelerate the integration and validation of hybrid semiconductor and traditional manufacturing tools on production lines, ensuring faster time to market, lower integration costs, and reduced deployment risks. With this connection gateway, users can send and receive any SEMI SECS-II-compliant message as host or equipment for full GEM and GEM300 equipment integration and validation. This product can prove valuable for a variety of customers:

• Pure semiconductor original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) that need a practical way to develop an MES simulator and exercise their equipment under fab-like conditions. For small production lines or multi-tool set-ups exchanging data through SECS/GEM, Agil’SECS-II allows OEMs to design, test, and validate their equipment efficiently before shipping it to fabs.

• Customized, multi-industry, or low-volume production sites that use an MES system to integrate both traditional production machines and semiconductor tools. Agil’SECS-II simplifies integration in mixed equipment environments, especially where the MES cannot use SECS/GEM because most tools rely on protocols such as OPC UA, Modbus, or MQTT, yet semiconductor equipment using SECS/GEM must be integrated within the same MES.

• Laboratories and pilot lines without a full-featured MES that require a driver to collect data from various types of manufacturing equipment, including process, inspection, and metrology tools, to ensure quality and process control as well as complete traceability.

“With Agil’SECS-II, we wanted to provide a flexible tool that can serve multiple types of customers who can benefit from a proven software foundation built on more than 15 years of deployment experience in semiconductor fabs worldwide,” explains Marc Engel, chief executive officer of Agileo Automation. “Our SECS-II driver is especially useful for validating the processes of hybrid fabs that combine semiconductor and non-semiconductor manufacturing equipment, such as silicon carbide (SiC) wafer production lines or advanced packaging lines. It enables product and process traceability with legacy MES and helps OEMs developing equipment for these lines create MES simulators to verify information flow between tools using heterogeneous communication protocols.”

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About Agileo Automation
Agileo Automation is a trusted partner for equipment manufacturers, helping them build smarter, automated, and more connected machines that integrate seamlessly into advanced semiconductor fabs. Founded in 2010 in Poitiers, France, Agileo Automation helps OEMs optimize control, communication, data acquisition, and testing across their tools through proven software frameworks, applications, and expert support. Its flagship A²ECF-SEMI framework provides a solid foundation for developing equipment controllers fully aligned with SEMI SECS/GEM, GEM300, and EDA standards. As an active member of SEMI and the OPC Foundation, Agileo Automation contributes directly to shaping the standards that drive Industry 4.0 manufacturing. For more information, please visit our website or follow us on LinkedIn.

• Read more about Agileo Automation Launches Agil’SECS-II to Enable Semiconductor OEMs, Multi-Industry Fabs, and Labs to Accelerate Equipment Integration on Production Lines

RENA Technologies marks a new milestone in the semiconductor industry with the launch of Vanguard, a state-of-the-art, fully automated single-wafer platform designed for wet chemical cleaning, etching, and drying of 200mm and 300mm wafers. Engineered for performance, efficiency, and scalability, Vanguard offers new possibilities for advanced semiconductor manufacturing.

Broaden the Possibilities in Wafer Wet Processing

Vanguard is purpose-built to address the rising demands of next-generation semiconductor substrates and materials. Supporting 4 to 8 independent processing chambers within a compact footprint, the system delivers high throughput without compromising cleanroom space. Its advanced chemical cleaning and double-sided processing—handling up to five distinct chemistries—minimizes contamination, substrate damage, and defects, ensuring wafers meet the stringent yield and quality requirements of cutting-edge chip manufacturing.

"With the launch of our new semiconductor wet processing platform, we are entering a new aera in precision, efficiency, and reliability for advanced chip manufacturing. This machine embodies our commitment to innovation—delivering not only superior process control but also the flexibility our customers need to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving industry. It represents a decisive step in enabling the next generation of semiconductor technologies for both high-volume manufacturing lines and R&D fabs." Emphasizes Peter Schneidewind, CEO of RENA Technologies.

Scalable, Modular Design 

Vanguard’s modular architecture grows with customer needs. Fabs can easily adjust chamber count and process configurations to match evolving requirements, from R&D to high-volume production.
The platform integrates internal chemistry preparation for precise formulation control, ensuring consistent process delivery and minimizing chemical consumption. This reduces operating costs and environmental impact—key considerations for sustainable fabs.

Serviceability is also built-in: each chamber operates independently, allowing maintenance without halting production. Combined with AI-assisted process control, and the digital service platform RENA Connect Hub, customers gain maximum uptime and efficiency.

Next-Level Automation and Compatibility

With its digital twin simulation, customers can model system integration, test interfaces, and even simulate throughput with real process data—well before installation. Training and upgrades can be conducted seamlessly during live production.

Fully GEM300 compatible, Vanguard is integration-ready from day one. Operating within a Class 1 mini environment, it guarantees ultra-clean wafer handling, while its advanced drying ensures residue-free, pristine surfaces for downstream processing.

Key Features at a Glance

• Fully automated wet processing for 200mm / 300mm wafers
• Scalable from 4 to 8 single-wafer chambers
• Double-sided cleaning with up to 5 chemicals
• Internal chemistry preparation system
• AI-assisted software with predictive maintenance
• Advanced drying technology
• Class 1 mini environment for ultra-clean operation
• Compact footprint with high-throughput capability
• GEM300 factory-integration ready
• Low chemical usage for reduced cost and environmental impact 

Availability

Vanguard is officially available as of today. Semiconductor fabs and foundries seeking to modernize their wet processing capabilities now have access to a solution that combines performance, scalability, and sustainability—delivered today for the challenges of tomorrow.

• Read more about Introducing Vanguard: The New Single-Wafer Cleaning and Etching Tool from RENA Technologies

OXFORD INSTRUMENTS PROVIDES COHERENT WITH STATE-OF-THE-ART, FULLY AUTOMATED PROCESSING EQUIPMENT, FOR 6” INP WAFER MANUFACTURING, ENABLING NEXT GENERATION AI APPLICATIONS

Oxford Instruments (OXIG), a leading provider of advanced plasma processing solutions for the compound semiconductor industry, announces the key role it is playing to support the industry’s first fully automated 6-inch indium phosphide (InP) wafer fabrication capability for photonic devices, led by Coherent Corp. (NYSE: COHR), a global leader in compound semiconductors and high-performance optical networking solutions.

Oxford Instruments’ cutting-edge plasma processing equipment is central to Coherent’s groundbreaking achievement of ramping up 6-inch InP fabs in Sherman, Texas, and Järfälla, Sweden. These fabs will play a pivotal role in driving advancements in AI datacentre, telecommunications, and sensing applications. Coherent’s transition to 6-inch wafers is set to deliver significant benefits, including a substantial increase in capacity, lower die cost and more than four times the number of devices per wafer.

Oxford Instruments has supplied fully automated, high-throughput 6-inch InP processing equipment, enabling Coherent to achieve these remarkable productivity gains. This advanced equipment is designed to support the transition from 800G to 1.6T products, a key requirement to meet the growing demands of AI interconnects and optical communications.

“We have been the leading supplier of InP plasma etch equipment to the datacom market, and Coherent, for many years. Our technology, with the quality, throughput and reliability that we have developed alongside excellent service, is ideally positioned to support the current device demand inflection we are seeing with the release of generative AI applications. We are delighted to be partnering with Coherent during this exciting period of market expansion and look forward to continuing to develop and release innovative and valuable plasma processing solutions.” Matt Kelly, Managing Director, Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology.

"Coherent’s move to 6-inch InP wafer fabrication marks a transformative milestone for the industry. Oxford Instruments’ expertise in plasma processing has been essential in enabling our Sherman and Järfälla fabs to reach world-class performance,” said Dr. Beck Mason, Executive Vice President – Semiconductor Devices at Coherent. “Together, we are advancing InP technology to support faster networks, greater efficiency, and the new applications that will define the future of connectivity."

The joint efforts of Oxford Instruments and Coherent have culminated in a manufacturing platform that sets the stage for the next generation of InP optoelectronic devices. These devices are critical enablers for applications ranging from AI datacentres and datacom transceivers to advanced sensing in consumer electronics and automotive technologies.

• Read more about Enabling AI with Fully Automated Equipment for 6” InP Wafer Processing