RIBER MBE system picked by Almae Technologies

Almae Technologies, a French company first established in 2016 as a spin-off from III-V Lab (an industrial research laboratory led by Nokia, Thales and CEA-Leti), placed the order to enhance its production capabilities for advanced photonic components.

The photonic components are expected to address the growing demand in the telecoms and datacoms industries for ultra-high-speed optical datta transmission, a demand driven by a surge in AI applications that reqiure higher data volumes.

This new order continues a long-standing parntership which began with RIBER's delivery of a Gas Source MBE (GSMBE) system to Almae Technologies in 2019. It underscores the reliability and relevance of RIBER's MBE solutions for manufacturing ultra-high-speed indium phosphide (InP) photonic chips, which are essential for next-generation datacom infrastructures and broader future connectivity solutions.

The GSMBE, an advanced variant of MBE technology, is particularly well-suited for the rigorous requirements of multi-epitaxy processes typical in photonic applications. These processes demand exceptional machine stability, reproducibility, and uniformity.

A close collaboration between Almae Technologies and RIBER has driven significant productivity optimisations for GSMBE systems. By combining Almae’s process expertise with RIBER’s technical know-how, advancements have been achieved in system design, integrated instrumentation, and process control. These innovations have further solidified Almae’s confidence in selecting RIBER for its new GSMBE system.

"Almae’s ambition is to become a global leader in advanced photonic solutions for ultra-high-speed fibre optic networks, which are essential for tomorrow’s society. Almae’s development relies on innovative processes using GSMBE, providing our products with a differentiated competitive advantage in performance. Acquiring this new system marks an important milestone in developing our industrial platform and will significantly boost our productivity in a highly competitive market," said Jean Louis Gentner, CEO of Almae Technologies.

"This new order from Almae Technologies strengthens our strategic partnership established in 2017 and reflects the renewed confidence in our MBE solutions," added Annie Geoffrey, Chairwoman and CEO of RIBER. "By enabling Almae to expand its production capacity, RIBER confirms its role as a key enabler in the semiconductor industry's transformation and its ability to address the growing demands of this rapidly evolving sector. This successful collaboration demonstrates our capacity to deliver stable, high-performance, and optimised systems that meet the most stringent requirements of our customers."