Atomera Incorporated (NASDAQ: ATOM) has introduced a new materials approach aimed at improving gallium nitride (GaN) performance on silicon substrates. The development targets one of the key limitations preventing wider adoption of GaN-on-silicon in radio frequency (RF) applications.
GaN devices are widely used in high-frequency electronics. They support 5G infrastructure, satellite communications, and emerging 6G research. Today, most high-performance GaN RF devices rely on silicon carbide substrates. These offer strong performance but come with higher cost and manufacturing complexity.
Silicon offers a lower-cost alternative. It also supports larger wafer sizes and is compatible with established semiconductor manufacturing lines. However, GaN-on-silicon has struggled with efficiency losses at high frequencies. These losses are mainly caused by parasitic channel charge at the silicon interface.
Atomera says its MST® technology addresses this issue. The process introduces a thin, oxygen-modified layer near the silicon surface. This engineered layer alters the silicon lattice structure. It also reduces dopant diffusion at the interface where GaN is grown.
The result, according to the company, is a cleaner electrical interface. This reduces RF losses and improves high-frequency behavior. It also enhances linearity, a key requirement for modern RF systems that handle complex modulation signals.
Independent testing has provided early validation. Mostafa Emam, Founder and CEO of Incize, said MST-enabled GaN-on-silicon devices show a strong reduction in parasitic interface charge.
He said RF measurements confirmed lower losses and improved signal behavior. He also noted stronger performance under high-power conditions.
“The best-performing MST samples exhibit outstanding linearity and power handling,” Emam said. He added that results approach performance levels seen in advanced RF silicon-on-insulator technologies.
Atomera reported more than a 10x reduction in parasitic channel charge in its tests. This reduction is important. Parasitic charge is a major contributor to RF energy loss. Lower levels improve efficiency and signal integrity.
Scott Bibaud, President and CEO of Atomera Incorporated, said the technology could change the cost structure of GaN devices.
He said MST removes key barriers that have limited GaN-on-silicon adoption. This includes performance constraints linked to interface losses.
“We’re fundamentally changing the economics of GaN,” Bibaud said. He added that improved performance on silicon substrates could open new growth areas in RF and power electronics markets.
Atomera also highlighted improvements in linearity. This measures how accurately a device handles signal amplification without distortion.
Robert Mears, Founder and Chief Technology Officer at Atomera, said test results showed significant gains. He said MST-enabled devices delivered strong linearity even under higher input power levels.
He pointed to performance improvements at both low and high power conditions. At a benchmark input level of 30 milliwatts, the company said linearity was significantly higher than reference GaN-on-silicon wafers. Performance improvements were also observed up to 10 watts of input power.
The company said these results could support more efficient RF systems. They may also enable wider use of GaN-on-silicon in cost-sensitive applications.
Industry demand for higher efficiency RF components continues to rise. This is driven by 5G deployment and early development of 6G systems. Atomera believes MST could help bridge the gap between performance and manufacturability in GaN-on-silicon technology.
