AIXTRON SE – MOCVD Technology and European Strategic Autonomy
From advanced radar systems scanning the skies to 5G networks knitting together the continent’s communications, Europe’s high-tech defense and telecom infrastructure depends on unseen but critical components: compound semiconductor devices. At the heart of this niche sits AIXTRON SE, a German-born company whose metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) equipment enables the fabrication of these strategic semiconductor materials. Founded in the 1980s as a university spin-off, AIXTRON has grown into one of the world’s foremost providers of deposition systems, quietly supplying the tools used to build gallium nitride (GaN) power amplifiers, indium phosphide lasers, and other III-V technologies that drive both cutting-edge civilian innovations and next-generation military hardware[1]. In an era when Europe is striving for technological sovereignty, AIXTRON’s story is a compelling example of how a specialized mid-cap firm can influence continental security and autonomy. This introduction sets the stage for a deep dive into how AIXTRON’s corporate evolution, technology portfolio, and strategic engagements align with Europe’s quest for resilience in defense and dual-use supply chains.