Tech News

Creating injection-molded electronics in a way that gives developers real freedom in their designs and, even more urgently, is easier on the environment is a major challenge for the industry. The EU Horizon project MULTIMOLD has brought together researchers from Fraunhofer IZM and their international partners in the pursuit of a novel injection molding process that combines advanced electronic functionality with high environmental standards.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM announces its active contribution to the APECS pilot line launched as part of the EU Chips Acts. APECS intends to promote the development and integration of chiplet technologies as a means of making Europe’s semiconductor industry more competitive.

The CORNET project Alu4CED has been awarded the prestigious Gold Medal for Innovation at the Kaohsiung International Invention & Design EXPO (KIDE 2024). The organizers recognized Alu4CED for its innovative contribution to sustainable electronics: a “multifunctional aluminum-based housing for electronic devices in the circular economy.”

Waveguides, integrated in glass, have the potential to significantly boost the measuring accuracy of sensors in science and industry. In the “3DGlassGuard“ project, a consortium including Fraunhofer IZM is working on a sensor for measuring the density of seawater that can potentially help generate more consistent climate models. The researchers are also planning to create sensors in glass for power electronics, using innovative optical 3D microstructures and AI design processes.

Today, Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier honored the winners of the Deutscher Zukunftspreis 2024 at a formal ceremony in Berlin. The award was presented to a team of experts led by Dr. Norwin von Malm and Stefan Grötsch from ams OSRAM and Dr. Hermann Oppermann from the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM for the technological implementation of their idea — an LED matrix that turns car headlights into projectors. The LED technology developed by the team opens up new possibilities for innovative designs thanks to its high-resolution light distribution and its energy efficiency.

On November 8, Fraunhofer IZM welcomed Patrick Hetzel, the French Minister of Higher Education and Research. In addition to Institute Director Prof. Ulrike Ganesh and Rolf Aschenbrenner, Deputy Director of the Institute, Fraunhofer researchers with French roots were also present. The meeting’s objective was to continue the dialog on future-relevant key technologies such as high-performance computing, quantum electronics, hardware security and sustainability. Of particular importance were strategic considerations regarding Europe's technological sovereignty in the semiconductor sector.

On the EnerConnect project, researchers at Fraunhofer IZM are testing bidirectional blocking gallium nitride (GaN) transistors to design a system that could be used with the next generation of active converters and rectifiers. The innovative hardware removes the need for a separate conversion stage and can achieve record 99% efficiency.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM has launched a Glass Panel Technology Group in response to strong industry interest. This initiative aims to develop glass-based substrates for advanced packaging and promote their use in data center technology and high-performance computing. Due to its material properties, glass offers a promising basis for technological innovations in microelectronics; in particular, its high dimensional stability allows ultra-fine conductor tracks, even below 5μm as structure widths.

Ivan Ndip has been honored with the 2024 Outstanding Educator Award by the International Microelectronics Assembly and Packaging Society (IMAPS) for his significant contributions to education for the microelectronics packaging industry.

Before they ever hit the market, reliable microelectronic systems need to be subjected to lengthy and cost-intensive qualification tests. Coordinated by Fraunhofer IZM, a group of high-profile companies, research institutes, and universities is now working on ways to replace these tests with much faster, more flexible, and more economical simulations.

We are very pleased to announce that our colleague Nyake Gahein-Sama won the Best Poster Award at this year’s IEEE Electronics System Integration Technology Conference (ESTC 2024) in Berlin. He was recognized for his contribution on “Alignment Between Subsequent 3D Molding Layers for Optimized Performance of 3D Integrated Patch Antennas for Advanced Sensing Applications”.

High-ranking visitor from Taiwan: Prof. Tsung-Tsong Wu, Chairman of the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), met with the Institute Director, Prof. Ulrike Ganesh, and representatives of the Research Fab Microelectronics Germany (FMD) at Fraunhofer IZM on August 27, 2024. The meeting focused on the strategic direction and future cooperation between the two leading research institutes.

Three Fraunhofer Institutes have launched a forward-looking research initiative in Dresden: the Chiplet Center of Excellence (CCoE). Its purpose is to partner with industry to drive forward the introduction of chiplet technology. Researchers at the CCoE are working on several fronts for the automotive industry, developing the first workflows and methods for electronics design, demonstrator construction, and the evaluation of reliability.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM is proud to announce the appointment of Professor Dr Ulrike Ganesh as its Co-Director. Starting on 01 August 2024, she will join Professor Martin Schneider-Ramelow in shaping the strategic direction of the Institute.

To understand the quality of a wire bond with a semiconductor chip, they are subjected to shear tests at the contact point where the wire meets the chip: A chisel shears off these so-called wedges, and the necessary force and resulting damage is analyzed. To learn more about what happens during shearing, researchers from the Technical University of Berlin and Fraunhofer IZM came up with an innovative simulation of the mechanical processes at work. This allows them to understand how newer and more durable wire types affect the behavior of the material and the processes and to produce a more objective and reliable assessment of the bonding quality of such novel materials.

A European research and industry consortium led by Soitec, a world leader in the design and manufacture of innovative semiconductor materials, has begun work to develop a future generation of high-frequency semiconductors based on Indium Phosphide (InP). These technologies are set to address applications ranging from photonics for AI mega data centers to radio frequency filters critical to 6G mobile communications and beyond.

Hand prostheses that restore tactile sensitivity to amputees. Sensors capable of detecting diseases prior to outbreaks. These applications could soon become part of conventional treatment thanks to microchips implanted in the body. At Fraunhofer IZM, the Technologies for Bioelectronics working group is busy developing ultra-thin biocompatible coatings for bioelectronics implants. The core aim is to enable decade-long functionality of miniature implants without the need for surgical interventions.

Strategic partnership kicks off with installation of EVG850 automated laser debonding system at the newly launched Center for Advanced CMOS and Heterointegration Saxony (CEASAX)

WLAN routers made from aluminum, equipped with a versatile multifunctional surface, and made according to the newest EU ecodesign standards: That is the objective of a German-Polish consortium of research and industry partners. With much less plastic used in the design and its circuit boards substantially brought down in size, the proposed routers offer far greater resource efficiency and circularity.

On-board chargers are the great equalizers for electric vehicle charging - and can be a game-changer for the future of e-mobility. Fraunhofer IZM has managed to bring together some of the most innovative ideas in power electronics to pave the way for a new generation of on-board chargers. Twice the performance at half the size, bidirectional capabilities, and efficiently machine-made: The resulting on-board charger is the economical ticket to the fast lane into the future.

The Electronic Components and Technology Conference (ECTC), sponsored by the IEEE Electronics Packaging Society, takes place every year in the USA. For years, Fraunhofer IZM scientists have regularly presented the institute's latest research findings to an international audience of experts. At this year's conference, which took place from May 28 to 31, 2024 in Denver, Colorado, Laura Wenzel, research associate and doctoral candidate at Fraunhofer IZM-ASSID, was honored with the "ECTC Student Travel Award".

Rapidus Corporation, Japan‘s high-end microelectronics manufacturer founded in 2022, and Fraunhofer IZM, a world-leading research institute for advanced microelectronic packaging, join forces for advanced packaging solutions for 2nm node high performance computing modules.

Germany and France are moving closer together. Close cooperation at the research level has already existed for years and is now being intensified, for example in the field of microelectronics for electromobility, integrated sensor technology and the protection of critical infrastructures. To see the success of the collaboration for himself, French Ambassador François Delattre came to Fraunhofer IZM in Berlin.

Fraunhofer IZM has been hosting Girls' Day for more than 20 years. In 2024, curious schoolgirls once again visited our institute, gained an insight into the laboratories and lent a hand with their own research projects.

Can consumers in the EU rely on electronic products meeting high environmental standards in the future? According to a regulation on the ecodesign of sustainable products, which will be voted on this Thursday in the European Parliament, this will soon no longer be a dream of the future. Sustainability specialists from Intel, Google, Apple and Microsoft will be discussing these and other committed climate targets beyond the EU with over 300 expected participants at the "Electronics Goes Green 2024" conference in Berlin from June 18 to 20.

Overheating components significantly limit the performance of drivetrains in electric vehicles. Inverters in particular are subject to a high thermal load, which is why they have to be actively cooled. In the Dauerpower project, Fraunhofer IZM is working with project partners from the automotive industry to develop an electric inverter that can work at a lower operating temperature thanks to optimized cooling management, resulting in a lower power loss. In addition to longer full-load utilization, the required semiconductor area can also be reduced as a result, which can further decrease the costs of the electric mobility transition.