Aixtron through the years: building compound-semiconductor production equipment

AIXTRON was founded in 1983 by researchers associated with RWTH Aachen University in Germany to commercialise equipment for depositing compound-semiconductor materials.

How Aixtron developed

The company specialised in metal-organic chemical vapour deposition and related processes used to grow thin semiconductor layers. It went public in 1997 and served successive markets including LEDs, lasers, power electronics and advanced communications devices.

Aixtron in 2026

By 2026, AIXTRON supplied deposition equipment for compound-semiconductor production, including gallium nitride and silicon carbide applications.

Its importance has risen as power electronics and optoelectronics depend on materials that require different manufacturing tools from mainstream silicon logic chips.

Information was checked against public company material, regulatory filings and reputable independent reporting where available, using sources accessible on 18 September 2026.