Aeluma Secures More Than $4 Million in Contracts for Quantum Materials and Lasers
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Insider Brief Aeluma, Inc. secured over $4 million in U.S. government contracts to scale its semiconductor platform for quantum and high-speed datacom applications. The funding supports development of quantum dot lasers and AlGaAs-based nonlinear photonics, targeting quantum computing, communication, and AI infrastructure. The effort includes expanded manufacturing collaboration with Tower Semiconductor and Sumitomo Chemical Advanced Technology to scale production on silicon wafers. PRESS RELEASE — Aeluma, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALMU), a semiconductor company specializing in high-performance, scalable technologies for mobile, AI, defense and aerospace, robotics, automotive, AR/VR, and quantum, announced today it has been awarded more than $4 million in contracts from the U.S. Government to accelerate scaling of its semiconductor heterogeneous integration platform for quantum and high-speed datacom applications. The awards directly support Aeluma’s commercialization strategy while deepening relationships with government stakeholders and manufacturing partners. Scaling wafer production and fabrication with Tower Semiconductor and Sumitomo Chemical Advanced Technology further positions Aeluma at the forefront of high-growth markets across AI infrastructure, defense, and quantum. “Traction in our target markets continues to grow,” said Jonathan Klamkin, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of Aeluma. “Programs like these are important for both our near-term commercialization strategy as well as long-term diversification. These contracts provide non-dilutive funding to accelerate commercialization, and to strengthen our relationship with key government partners in making manufacturing of next-generation photonic systems more viable.” Accelerating Scalable Quantum and AI Infrastructure Aeluma’s technology combines the performance of compound semiconductors with the scale of mainstream microelectronics manufacturing. The new contracts will accelerate the development and transition of Aeluma’s heterogeneous integration platform for quantum dot lasers and quantum nonlinear materials.
Quantum Dot Lasers Quantum dot laser technology offers superior performance including high power handling, reliability, and low noise—key requirements for quantum applications and AI data center interconnects, including co-packaged optics (CPO). Aeluma leverages high throughput metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), a proven approach for mass-market applications such as vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) for facial identification in mobile phones. Aeluma’s MOCVD quantum dot technology will be leveraged to build multi-channel photonic integrated circuits for quantum applications.
Quantum Nonlinear Photonics Aeluma is advancing a scalable aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs) nonlinear materials platform for generation and manipulation of photons for quantum communication, computing, and sensing. Compared to other materials such as lithium niobate (LN), aluminum nitride (AlN), or barium titanate (BTO), Aeluma’s AlGaAs offers superior efficiency and versatility, characteristics important for practical quantum systems. The Company previously unveiled a successful demonstration of AlGaAs integration on CMOS standard 200mm silicon. The ability to manufacture with 200mm and 300mm silicon provides a path to integrate with low-loss silicon nitride waveguides commonly used for quantum photonic circuits. The new contracts aim to advance the quantum dot and quantum nonlinear photonic platforms through targeted demonstrations and scaling efforts. This includes development at Aeluma’s facility in Goleta, California, as well as activities with supply chain partners including Tower Semiconductor and Sumitomo Chemical Advanced Technology. “With the broad adoption of our Silicon Photonics (SiPho) platforms, we see great value in the laser market as a new, large, untapped opportunity for Tower,” said Dr. Edward Preisler, Vice President and General Manager of RF Business Unit at Tower Semiconductor. “Aeluma’s technology helps promote a more responsive and resilient ecosystem, by providing a path to laser manufacturing on larger dimension silicon wafers.” “The market demand for lasers and detectors has grown significantly and we view Aeluma’s technology as a promising solution to address supply chain constraints,” added Dr. Ken Campman, President & Executive Officer from Sumitomo Chemical Advanced Technologies. “We look forward to further developing our relationship to help address the requirements for datacom, sensing, and other markets.” Mohib Ur Rehman LinkedIn Mohib has been tech-savvy since his teens, always tearing things apart to see how they worked. His curiosity for cybersecurity and privacy evolved from tinkering with code and hardware to writing about the hidden layers of digital life. Now, he brings that same analytical curiosity to quantum technologies, exploring how they will shape the next frontier of computing. Share this article: