The European 2D-Pilot Line (2D-PL), a Graphene Flagship project, aims to bridge the gap between laboratory research and industrial manufacturing by integrating graphene and other two-dimensional materials into established semiconductor platforms. Building on the achievements of the previous 2D Experimental Pilot Line (2D-EPL), the project focuses on prototyping services, process development, Process Design Kits (PDKs), and Multi-Project Wafer (MPW) runs for photonic and electronic applications. Its overarching goal is to accelerate the transition of 2D materials from scientific research into commercially viable technologies that can be manufactured in semiconductor fabs.

One of the key figures behind this effort is Alba Centeno, Projects Team Manager at Graphenea. With more than 10 years of experience in graphene manufacturing and industrial innovation, Centeno is helping shape the processes that will allow graphene to move from promising research labs into real semiconductor production environments. Within the 2D-PL project, Graphenea leads the Work Package “Process Modules for Graphene Integration”, helping build the manufacturing foundation required for future graphene-enabled products.

We talked to Alba about the undergoing efforts within 2D-PL.

What differentiates the 2D-PL from previous graphene industrialization efforts?

Alba:

"I'd say the biggest difference is that we're no longer asking, 'Can graphene do this?' We've already spent years showing that graphene and other 2D materials can enable amazing devices. Now the question is, 'How do we manufacture them reliably and at scale?'

That's really where 2D-PL comes in. We're focused on creating an environment that's much closer to what industry actually needs. Companies don't just want exciting laboratory results. They want proven processes, design tools, fabrication routes, and a way to test their own ideas and obtain reliable and consistent results.

So the shift is from demonstrating possibilities to enabling industrial adoption. That's a very different challenge, but it's also a very exciting one."

Which applications are closest to commercialization?

Alba:

We're seeing a lot of momentum in sensing technologies. Graphene is incredibly sensitive to its environment, which makes it attractive for everything from industrial monitoring to healthcare applications.

Personally, I've been particularly excited by developments in biomedical devices and diagnostics. We've seen significant advances in integrating graphene into sensing platforms for disease detection and health monitoring. As manufacturing becomes more mature and standardized, those technologies start looking much more like commercial products and less like research projects.

Photonics is certainly another of the most promising areas. The demand for faster communication and data processing keeps growing, and graphene offers capabilities that complement existing silicon photonics platforms very well.

How is Graphenea helping transform graphene from a research material into a manufacturing technology?

Alba:

"People often think that having a great material is enough, but in reality that's only the beginning.

Industry needs consistency. Every wafer has to perform the same way. Every process has to be repeatable. Every step has to fit into existing manufacturing environments. That's what companies expect from semiconductor technologies.

At Graphenea, we've spent more than 15 years developing expertise in producing high-quality graphene and understanding how to integrate it into fabrication processes. Within the 2D-PL project, we're working on the graphene integration modules that help make this possible.

In simple terms, we're helping turn graphene from something that's mainly used by researchers into something engineers can confidently design into future products."

Why are MPW runs and PDKs such important accelerators?

Alba:

"Because they lower the barrier to entry dramatically.

Imagine you're a startup or even a large company and you want to test a graphene-based photonic device. Building an entire wafer just for that experiment would be incredibly expensive and time-consuming.

With Multi-Project Wafer runs, several users can share the same wafer and split the cost. Suddenly, testing a new idea becomes much more accessible.

The same is true for Process Design Kits. Designers need reliable models and design rules. They need to be able to simulate a device before fabricating it. That's standard practice in the semiconductor industry, and it's exactly what we're bringing to the 2D materials world.

Together, MPWs and PDKs create a much smoother path from an idea on paper to a prototype on a wafer."

What should industry expect to see from the 2D-PL by 2028?

Alba:

"If we're successful, companies will no longer see graphene and other 2D materials as experimental technologies sitting off to the side. They'll see them as practical tools for solving real engineering problems.

By the end of the project, we want to have mature process modules, accessible pilot-line services, validated design tools, and a strong ecosystem connecting material suppliers, equipment manufacturers, foundries, researchers, and customers.

For me, success isn't just about technical milestones. It's about seeing companies actually using these technologies to build products. When that begins happening on a larger scale, we'll know we've done our job.

Ultimately, the ambition is to help position Europe at the forefront of next-generation photonics and electronics, and to make sure that the innovations developed here can be manufactured and commercialized here as well."

Closing Thoughts

For Alba Centeno, the conversation around graphene has evolved considerably over the last decade. The material's remarkable properties are no longer the primary question. The challenge now is creating the manufacturing ecosystem that allows those properties to be translated into products. Through the 2D-Pilot Line, Graphenea and its partners are working to provide exactly that missing link, helping Europe transform graphene from a scientific success story into an industrial one.