Press

Efficient failure analysis is essential for high-performance electronic applications and the development of cutting-edge solutions for the European semiconductor industry. This was the conclusion of the CAM workshop at the Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS in Halle (Saale) yesterday. More than 150 international guests learned about possible applications for gallium nitride (GaN) and the pilot line for Advanced Packaging and Integration for Electronic Components and Systems (APECS).

A consortium of 12 European partners has been selected in the framework of the European Chips Act to develop the EU Chips Design Platform. This cloud-based platform will facilitate access to advanced semiconductor design infrastructure, training, and capital for fabless semiconductor start-ups, small and medium enterprises and research organizations. With the EU Chips Design Platform, coordinated by imec, an important new resource is being put in place to support technological development and industrial competitiveness across Europe. The German partners are the Fraunhofer institutes and the Leibniz IHP cooperating in the Research Fab Microelectronics Germany (FMD).

On March 31, 2025, at the Hannover Messe, the Research Fab Microelectronics Germany (Forschungsfabrik Mikroelektronik Deutschland FMD) officially unveiled its new Chiplet Application Hub. Designed to serve as a central platform for the development and application of chiplet technologies, the hub aims to bridge the gap between research and industrial use. By working closely with industry partners, the hub accelerates the development of chiplets made in Germany, elevating industrial research to a new level. At the national level, it complements FMD’s role in the Chips for Europe Initiative, further reinforcing Germany’s technological resilience. The hub's research, development, and prototyping activities build on the infrastructure of the APECS pilot line, ensuring direct pathways to industrial application.

The pilot line for “Advanced Packaging and Heterogeneous Integration for Electronic Components and Systems” (APECS) marks a major leap forward in strengthening Europe’s semiconductor manufacturing capabilities and chiplet innovation as part of the EU Chips Act. By providing large industry players, SMEs, and start-ups with a facilitated access to cutting-edge technology, the APECS pilot line will establish a strong foundation for resilient and robust European semiconductor supply chains. Within APECS, the institutes collaborating in the Research Fab Microelectronics Germany (FMD) will work closely with European partners, to make a significant contribution to the European Union´s goals of increasing technological resilience, strengthening cross-border collaboration and enhancing its global competitiveness in semiconductor technologies. APECS is co-funded by the Chips Joint Undertaking and national funding authorities of Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Portugal, Spain, through the “Chips for Europe” initiative. The overall funding for APECS amounts to € 730 million over 4.5 years.

CEA-Leti, Fraunhofer, imec and VTT Anchoring Multi-Hub Platform to Realize Designs By EU Companies, Researchers and Chip Developers

Since July 2022 the Research Fab Microelectronics Germany (FMD) and Intel have been collaborating to champion and drive 3D heterogeneous integration R&D in Germany. In a series of technical workshops organized by FMD and Intel Europe Research, experts from FMD, Intel, and German industries have defined the 2030+ research roadmap for 3D heterogeneous integration. Challenges and opportunities have been identified for major application areas such as automotive, industry and high-performance computing establishing the foundation for joint research projects in these critically important areas. This is part of the effort in building a strategic research partnership between FMD and Intel to grow heterogeneous 3D integration capabilities in Germany and in Europe, which is also a key topic of Intel Europe Research engagement in the European R&D ecosystem.

In order to consolidate and expand the existing microelectronic research and development in Germany regarding quantum and neuromorphic computing, the FMD launched on December 1, 2022, a joint project together with four other Fraunhofer institutes, the Jülich Forschungszentrum and AMO GmbH: The Research Fab Microelectronics Germany — Module Quantum and Neuromorphic Computing (FMD-QNC). The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research is funding the equipment and structural setup required for the project.

By establishing the Microelectronics Academy, the Research Fab Microelectronics Germany (FMD for its acronym in German) is laying the foundation for modern training programs in the field of micro and nanoelectronics aimed at counteracting the shortage of skilled workers in Germany. In cooperation with educational institutions and industry partners, the academy intends to work out a set of practice-based modules during a one-year design phase and subsequently test them over the next three years. Funding for this project is provided by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research as part of the Federal Government's Framework Programme for Microelectronics.

Aiming to contribute to the reduction of the digital technologies' footprint via research and development, the Fraunhofer and Leibniz institutes cooperating within the framework of the Research Fab Microelectronics Germany (FMD for its acronym in German) are jointly establishing a cross-location competence center for resource-conscious information and communication technology (Green ICT @ FMD). The project, launched on August 1, 2022, is receiving 34 million euros in funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research under the Green ICT initiative. The latter is in turn part of the German government's Climate Action Programme 2030.

In the recently launched joint project "T-KOS" of the Research Fab Microelectronics Germany (FMD), terahertz technology is now to be developed synergistically for industry in the fields of communication and sensor technology for the first time. Innovative system solutions in both areas can make a significant contribution to the successful implementation of future issues such as digitalization, Industry 4.0 or resource efficiency and thus strengthen Germany as a business location in the long term.