Raytheon and G&H advance U.S. TFLN supply
Raytheon Technologies has secured a contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to establish domestic production capabilities for thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) wafers, strengthening supply chain resilience for advanced photonic and secure communication systems.
TFLN wafers are increasingly used in high-speed optical communications, sensing, and next-generation photonic integrated circuits, where performance demands continue to grow across defence and commercial applications.
With global supply currently concentrated outside the United States, the programme aims to create an independent and reliable domestic manufacturing source.
Under the contract, Raytheon’s Advanced Technologies team will lead process development, leveraging its expertise in ion-slicing techniques to produce high-quality TFLN wafers.
The company will collaborate with G&H, which will transition the technology into low-rate initial production once manufacturing processes are established.
According to Raytheon, the initiative is intended to support an open, third-party supply model capable of serving a broad ecosystem of defence and commercial customers.
G&H’s vertically integrated crystal growth and wafer manufacturing capabilities are expected to accelerate the move toward scalable U.S.-based production.
The effort reflects growing industry focus on securing advanced photonic material supply chains as demand rises for high-performance optical components supporting AI infrastructure, secure communications, and sensing platforms.
By enabling domestic access to TFLN substrates, the collaboration aims to support future development and manufacturing of high-speed photonic devices and integrated optical systems.
