Greek Semiconductor Technology Puts Greece on Global Tech Map

Greece is developing gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductor technology that could support some of the world’s most advanced radar, defence, aerospace and next-generation telecommunications systems, according to Dr Emmanouil Trichas of the Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH).

The technology could give Greece an opportunity to develop a domestic semiconductor value chain by combining the country’s mineral resources, research expertise and growing ecosystem of circuit-design companies.

At the heart of the effort is gallium nitride, a wide-bandgap semiconductor that can operate at higher voltages, frequencies and temperatures than traditional silicon while maintaining high energy efficiency and a small footprint.

Speaking to AMNA radio programme Praktorio 104.9 FM, Dr Trichas, who heads Business Development for the SMARTEC Nanoelectronics Pilot Line at FORTH’s Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser (IESL), said Greece has a rare opportunity to build a fully domestic semiconductor ecosystem.

Greek technology targets advanced radar

The SMARTEC pilot line develops GaN semiconductor materials and uses them to manufacture transistor devices and increasingly complex circuits. It also develops GaN transceivers for radar and next-generation telecommunications applications.

Dr Trichas presented the potential for competitive Greek chips at the 90th Thessaloniki International Fair, highlighting their possible use in dual-use radar and connectivity applications.

He said the technology could serve fourth- and fifth-generation fighter aircraft as well as other defence platforms, particularly as drone warfare creates new demands for radar systems.

Modern forces may face not one or two incoming missiles but hundreds of drones approaching from multiple directions. As drones become smaller, conventional radar systems face greater challenges in detecting them quickly and accurately.

A GaN chip combined with an appropriate antenna could improve the ability to detect increasingly small drones and respond more effectively to mass attacks, according to Dr Trichas.

Why gallium nitride matters

GaN offers several advantages over conventional silicon for high-power, high-frequency and optoelectronic applications.

Its physical properties allow electronic devices to operate at higher voltages, frequencies and temperatures while maintaining high efficiency. The technology can also dramatically reduce the size and weight of electronic subsystems.

That makes GaN particularly attractive for aircraft, naval vessels and space platforms, where weight and space remain critical considerations.

GaN systems can also reduce energy consumption and cooling requirements while delivering greater range and higher signal power.

One of their most important advantages lies in radar resolution. GaN technology can improve the ability of radar systems to detect smaller targets with greater speed and precision.

As drones operating in the air, at sea and on land continue to shrink in size, rapid detection of small targets can provide a significant operational advantage.

Anti-drone systems and networks beyond Earth

The development of drone swarms and other asymmetric threats has increased demand for advanced anti-drone systems.

The technology developed at FORTH could provide the basis for more capable anti-drone radars and their integration into next-generation platforms, including fighter aircraft, frigates, satellites and unmanned vehicles.

GaN also has applications beyond defence.

The technology could help enable Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN), which connect conventional mobile networks with satellite systems in low and geostationary Earth orbits, as well as high-altitude platform stations (HAPS).

Such networks could handle huge volumes of data and create distributed sensor networks capable of providing real-time situational awareness.

This could prove valuable in areas such as civil protection, where authorities need to communicate with multiple agencies simultaneously during emergencies.

Greece’s potential advantage in gallium

Greece has another potential advantage: its bauxite reserves.

Processing bauxite can produce gallium, a critical material for GaN technology. Combined with domestic expertise in semiconductor materials and devices and the country’s circuit-design companies, this could create the foundations for a Greek microelectronics industry with a fully domestic value chain.

“There are several Greek companies that design circuits,” Dr Trichas said, explaining that specialised engineering firms develop circuit concepts for international markets.

Some are now turning to FORTH’s technology because of the competitive advantages offered by GaN and asking the institute to produce prototypes of their designs.

The combination of domestically produced gallium, FORTH’s GaN technology and designs from Greek companies could therefore create a high-value Greek semiconductor sector.

Investment remains the major challenge

Moving from laboratory research and a pilot production line to a full-scale industrial facility, however, requires substantial investment.

The semiconductor industry carries extremely high capital costs, and a start-up in the sector can require hundreds of millions of euros in initial seed capital.

Greek investment has historically focused more heavily on software businesses, which generally require less upfront capital. Dr Trichas said this is gradually changing as institutional investors recognise the long-term value of deep-tech and advanced industrial technologies.

Greece would not need to compete with Asian semiconductor giants in low-cost mass production, where conventional silicon dominates and profit margins remain under intense pressure.

Instead, the country could focus on high-performance niche markets such as aerospace, defence and advanced telecommunications, including 6G.

In military and space applications, technical performance and reliability often matter more than the lowest possible price, Dr Trichas noted. That creates opportunities for specialised chips with significantly higher added value.

Such an industry could generate highly skilled, well-paid jobs while supporting a wider network of companies around semiconductor manufacturing.

The future of Greek microelectronics

For Greece, the challenge now lies in turning scientific expertise into industrial capacity.

According to Dr Trichas, the country must attract the investment needed to establish national infrastructure for advanced semiconductor production while protecting intellectual property and connecting research institutions with domestic and international industry.

With GaN technology, he argues, Greece is no longer simply following developments in the global semiconductor industry. It has an opportunity to claim a stronger position on Europe’s semiconductor map and turn scientific expertise into an economic and strategic national asset.

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