1992 - Start-up created

André-Jacques Auberton-Hervé and Jean-Michel Lamure, engineers at Grenoble's CEA-Leti (Atomic Energy Commission/Electronics and IT Technology Laboratory), founded Soitec to manufacture SOI wafers on an industrial scale using the Smart Cut process, invented in 1991 within Michel Bruel's laboratory.

1997 - Industrial-scale production

By developing the first laboratory applications for SOI and implementing a pilot line for the Smart Cut process in 1996, Soitec demonstrated the potential of its technology. The company entered into a strategic partnership with Japanese manufacturer Shin-Etsu Handotai (SEH), the number-one player in the silicon industry. Soitec decided to build an initial production facility in Bernin, near Grenoble.

1999 - Public listing and first production site

Soitec was introduced and is since listed on Paris' New Stock Market Exchange (which later became Euronext Paris) and inaugurated Bernin I, the world's largest SOI production center. Its capacity was gradually increased until it was annually producing 800,000 wafers with diameters of 200 mm or less. The company employed over 100 people at the time.

2002 - Bernin II and the start of 300-mm wafer production

Following several years of research and development in its 300-mm wafer technology, Soitec opened a dedicated factory, Bernin II, capable of producing 720,000 wafers every year. For the first time, the company's turnover surpassed 100 million euros.

2003 - Incorporation of new materials

Soitec took over the assets of Picogiga International, a specialist in technologies for composite materials. As a result, Soitec expanded its Smart Cut technology to include materials other than silicon. The first gallium nitride (GaN)-on-insulator substrates were produced the following year.

2004 - First Asian site

Soitec opened a commercial subsidiary, Soitec Asia, in Tokyo. The following year, it opened an office in Taiwan. The company employed over 500 people at the time.

2006 - New applications for Smart Cut technology

In collaboration with CEA-Leti, the NanoSmart R&D project aimed to develop new applications for Smart Cut technology. Two hundred million euros were invested over a five-year period. The purchase of TraciT Technologies, which specialized in molecular adhesion and mechanical as well as chemical thinning processes, was part of Soitec's efforts to expand into new markets.

2007 - Expansion of SOI technology internationally

SOI production continued to ramp up: Soitec employed its 1,000th worker. The founder and CEO of Soitec was elected president of the SOI Industry Consortium, which includes over 30 major international manufacturers and research laboratories dedicated to promoting SOI technology.

2008 - Start of manufacturing in Asia

Soitec manufactured its first SOI wafers in Asia at its Pasir Ris production site in Singapore. The unit featured 4,000 m² of cleanrooms and had a production capacity of one million 300-mm wafers per year.

2010 - Solar market entry

Soitec purchased 80 percent of Concentrix Solar, one of the world's leading suppliers of concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) systems, thereby entering the quickly growing solar-energy market. The company built its first solar plants in the United States, South Africa and the Middle East.

2015 - Strategic refocusing and a new organization

In January 2015, Soitec developed a strategic plan to refocus its activities around its core business: electronics. Paul Boudre became the company's chief executive officer.

The electronics business includes Soitec's historical activities in the field of semiconductors (Bernin's active production lines in France and those on standby at the Pasir Ris site in Singapore) as well as its research and development efforts in III-V materials.

2016 - Soitec divests from some of its activities

During the 2015–2016 fiscal year, Soitec continued to pursue its strategic refocusing plan by divesting from its non-core activities:

• Solar activity (development and commercialization of CPV systems): All of the company's production and R&D activities in San Diego (United States) and Freiburg (Germany) were sold as well as all of the activity's remaining assets.
• Lighting activity (commercialization of LED-based lighting solutions): Soitec's R&D activities in Phoenix (United States) were sold and its assets were transferred to a co-venture, Ceotis, founded in collaboration with a major player in the lighting sector.
• Equipment activity (development and assembly of equipment for the semiconductor industry): Soitec sold its entire stake in the company Altatech Semiconductor.

2017 - FD-SOI Realization

The SOI ecosystem continues to strengthen and the use of SOI technology gains traction. This necessitated Soitec to be ready to increase capacity in line with its market commitment. After investing and ramping up its production in Bernin II, Soitec inaugurated a pilot line at its Singapore site to increase production capacity to provide multi-site SOI substrate sourcing.

2018 - Commitment to R&D

Soitec’s strong commitment towards R&D can be traced to its origins as a company founded by a leading French research institute CEA-Leti. In 2008, Soitec and CEA-Leti deepened their partnership with the launch of the Substrate Innovation Centre in Bernin to create new materials for engineered wafers, pilot a production line and develop applications for new engineered wafers. In addition, Soitec has also fostered partnerships with leading research institutes in Europe, Asia and the United States to advance the development of innovative semiconductor materials.

2021 - Launch of corporate purpose

Soitec elevated sustainability as a pillar of itscorporate strategy: "We are the innovative soil from which smart and energy efficient electronics grow into amazing and sustainable life experiences. ”Soitec is committed to fulfilling 12 of the 17 sustainable development goals defined by the United Nations built on three pillars. These are driving the transition to a sustainable economy through innovation and operations; leveraging our inclusive and inspiring company culture and becoming a role model for a better society.

2022 - Building foundations for continues growth

Soitec’s SOI wafers have made an indelible mark on the mobile communications industry and its SmartSiC wafers are poised to do the same in the automotive industry. The construction of the fourth wafer fab facility - Bernin 4 - in Bernin, France was launched to manufacture SmartSiC wafers for the electric vehicle and industrial markets. The plant extension supports Soitec’s 300mm SOI activities. The 30th anniversary of Soitec coincided with the extension of its wafer fabrication plant in Pasir Ris, Singapore as part of its strategic plan to meet global demand for SOI wafers. This ramp-ups the production of 300mm SOI wafer production in Singapore to two million per year at full capacity by 2026. The extension was timely given the increasing global adoption of 5G technology for mobile communications.