RIBER Secures Major European Order for Advanced Chip-Making Systems

BEZONS, France – December 29, 2025 – RIBER, a global leader in specialized semiconductor manufacturing equipment, today announced a major order from a European customer for two of its flagship MBE 6000 production systems. The deal, which includes associated services, marks a significant investment in Europe's advanced technology manufacturing capabilities and reinforces RIBER's market-leading position.

Bolstering Europe's Photonic Device Production

The order comes from an unnamed European company described as having fully vertically integrated production facilities. This customer specializes in developing and manufacturing a wide array of photonic devices, which are critical components for several of the world's fastest-growing technology markets. The acquisition of the two high-capacity MBE 6000 systems is a key part of the customer's strategy to expand its industrial production capacity.

This expansion is aimed directly at meeting the soaring demand for high-performance optical sources. These components are the building blocks for technologies that are reshaping industries. Key applications include:

• Optical Connectivity for AI Data Centers: As artificial intelligence and machine learning workloads become more complex, data centers require faster and more efficient ways to move massive amounts of data. Photonic devices, such as high-speed transceivers, enable light-based data transmission, offering significantly higher bandwidth and lower power consumption than traditional copper wiring. The production of these devices relies on the precise layering of semiconductor materials, a process for which MBE technology is ideally suited.
• High-Power Light Sources for LiDAR: Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) systems are essential for autonomous vehicles, robotics, and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). They work by emitting laser pulses and measuring the reflected light to create a 3D map of the environment. The performance and reliability of the lasers used in LiDAR are paramount for safety and accuracy, and their manufacturing requires the exceptional material quality that MBE systems can provide.
• Expanding Medical, Industrial, and Scientific Markets: The applications for advanced photonic devices extend far beyond AI and automotive. In the medical field, they are used in diagnostic imaging, surgical lasers, and biosensors. Industrial applications include material processing and quality control, while scientific research leverages these components for everything from quantum computing experiments to advanced spectroscopy.

By supplying the core manufacturing equipment, RIBER is playing a pivotal role in enabling its customer to scale production and innovate across this diverse and lucrative portfolio. The comprehensive services and productivity-enhancing solutions included in the order will further help the customer strengthen its manufacturing efficiency and process integration.

The Precision of Molecular Beam Epitaxy

At the heart of this deal is the sophisticated technology of Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE). Recognized within the semiconductor industry as the gold standard for epitaxial growth, MBE is a method used to deposit single-crystal thin films with unparalleled precision. The process takes place in an ultra-high vacuum environment, where beams of atoms or molecules, like gallium and arsenide, are directed onto a heated substrate wafer.

This technique allows for the growth of complex semiconductor structures one atomic layer at a time. The key advantages of MBE, which are critical for the performance of advanced optoelectronic devices, include:

• Atomic-Level Process Control: Engineers can control the thickness and composition of each layer with sub-nanometer precision, enabling the creation of complex quantum well and superlattice structures that define a device's electronic and optical properties.
• High Material Purity: The ultra-high vacuum conditions minimize contamination, resulting in extremely pure crystalline layers. This purity is essential for maximizing device efficiency and longevity.
• Excellent Uniformity and Reproducibility: The technology ensures that the deposited layers are consistent across the entire wafer and from one production run to the next. This uniformity is crucial for achieving high manufacturing yields and reliable device performance.

RIBER’s MBE 6000 platform is specifically engineered to bring this high-precision laboratory technique to an industrial scale. Designed for the mass production of advanced III-V compound semiconductor structures—materials like gallium arsenide (GaAs) and indium phosphide (InP)—the system offers high throughput and robust process stability. Its advanced automation reduces the need for manual intervention, ensuring consistent results. A key feature of the MBE 6000 is its multi-wafer processing capability, which supports up to four 6-inch wafers per run. This enables significant productivity gains and makes the industrial manufacturing of complex multilayer heterostructures more cost-efficient.

Strategic Implications for Industry and Sovereignty

This major order, with delivery scheduled for 2026, carries significant strategic weight for both RIBER and the broader European technology landscape. For RIBER, which was founded in 1964, it is a powerful validation of its technology and its MBE 6000 platform's suitability for high-volume manufacturing. Securing a multi-system order from a major European player underscores the company's continued dominance in the global MBE market. It also provides a healthy boost to its order book, ensuring a strong revenue pipeline for the coming years.

More broadly, the investment signals a commitment within Europe to strengthening its domestic semiconductor supply chain. In an era of geopolitical uncertainty and global chip shortages, the ability to manufacture critical technology components locally is increasingly viewed as a matter of economic and strategic sovereignty. The customer's status as a "fully vertically integrated" manufacturer, now further enhanced with RIBER's state-of-the-art equipment, is a prime example of this trend. By controlling the entire production process from raw wafer to finished photonic device, the company reduces its reliance on external suppliers and gains a significant competitive advantage.

This move aligns with wider European initiatives, such as the European Chips Act, which aim to double the EU's share of the global semiconductor market and reduce dependencies on Asia and the United States for critical components. While this single order is just one piece of a much larger puzzle, it represents a tangible step toward building a more resilient and technologically advanced industrial base in Europe, capable of supporting the next generation of innovation in artificial intelligence, telecommunications, and beyond. The deal highlights the critical symbiotic relationship between equipment suppliers like RIBER and device manufacturers, a partnership essential for driving the entire semiconductor ecosystem forward.