Meet our startup: SisuSemi cleans semiconductors at the atomic level

Extremely small impurities and defects on semiconductor surfaces increase leakage currents and energy consumption, shorten device lifetimes, and can lead to premature failures.

SisuSemi’s technology cleans surfaces with atomic-level precision, corrects misplaced atoms, and protects the surface with a thin silicon dioxide layer.

Semiconductors are the foundation of modern electronics, from smartphones to satellites. As device performance increases, manufacturing requirements are pushed to the extreme.

’The semiconductor industry must inevitably find a solution for atomic-level surface cleaning. We provide the technology and equipment for that,’ says SisuSemi CEO Erkki Seppäläinen.

From research to industrial scale

Protected by a global patent portfolio, the technology is based on surface physics research conducted at the University of Turku.

’At the core is the insight that Ultra-High Vacuum (UHV) enables surface cleaning and crystal structure repair in an entirely new way. At the same time, the process can be carried out at significantly lower temperatures than before,’ says COO Pasi Pietilä.

In her doctoral research, SisuSemi’s CTO Zahra Jahanshah Rad developed equipment that enables the ALP (Atomic Level Purification) -process to handle 100-millimeter silicon wafers. The company has since scaled the technology toward industrial applications with the support of seed funding and an R&D loan from Business Finland.

’We have built equipment capable of processing industrial semiconductor wafers up to 300 millimeters in size. Another major breakthrough has been the use of lasers for wafer heating,’ Seppäläinen says.

The company operates in the cleanroom facilities of the University of Turku, utilizing the university’s analytical equipment for the development work.

Aiming for global markets

The next phase of growth requires significant venture capital, which will enable the company to build a commercial-scale equipment solution suitable for industrial production. SisuSemi aims to become part of the production processes of the world’s largest semiconductor manufacturers. 

’Our technology improves product quality and manufacturing yield, which will shorten the payback time of investments required for production lines. We also help our customers manufacture semiconductor chips that consume less electricity and have longer lifetimes,’ says Seppäläinen.

He compares SisuSemi’s technology to Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD), developed in the 1970s by Finnish physicist Tuomo Suntola. Although the industry initially viewed ALD with skepticism, it later became an enabling technology used throughout the global electronics industry.

’Without atomic-level cleanliness, chip structures can no longer continue shrinking. Once the industry needs a solution to this, we are talking about a multi-billion-euro business,’ Seppäläinen says.

A breakthrough by SisuSemi would also strengthen the European semiconductor sector.

Support for startup growth

Founded in 2024, SisuSemi is backed by a nine-member team: five members come from the University of Turku and four from industry and business. Six founders work actively in the company, while three serve as scientific advisors.

The company is participating in the Aalto Startup Center’s Business Generator program, from which it seeks support to accelerate its growth.

’Networking is extremely important for a startup. Aalto Startup Center has provided us with valuable contacts, broad expertise, and practical support with startup-friendly pricing,’ Seppäläinen says.

In March, the company showcased its technology at the Demo Day event organized by Aalto Startup Center and A Grid, and won the pitching competition organized by FiBAN.

’We’ve received highly valuable and concrete feedback on our pitch from Aalto Startup Center. An outside perspective has helped us understand how others see our message and accelerated the development of our communication,’ Pietilä says.

For Pietilä, who previously worked at companies including Microsoft, startup entrepreneurship was not an obvious career path, but SisuSemi is a company he definitely wants to be part of:

’There is a real problem in the market that needs to be solved. We have the key to solving it. In addition, we have an exceptionally strong and diverse team, which gives us a good chance of success.’