idw – Informationsdienst Wissenschaft

Nachrichten, Termine, Experten

Grafik: idw-Logo
Science Video Project
idw-Abo

idw-News App:

AppStore

Google Play Store



Instance:
Share on: 
06/25/2025 12:32

15 years of Fraunhofer IZM-ASSID: The future of microelectronics shaped by Fraunhofer IZM’s Dresden site

Susann Thoma Presse- und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit
Fraunhofer-Institut für Zuverlässigkeit und Mikrointegration IZM

    With a festive event and a symposium on 24 June 2025, Fraunhofer IZM-ASSID (All Silicon System Integration Dresden) celebrated 15 years of success in its field. Since its foundation in 2010, the Fraunhofer IZM’s Saxon site has become a globally respected engine of innovation in 3D system integration and wafer-level packaging - and a crucial actor in Europe’s high-technology ecosystem.

    From technological vision to industrial platform
    When Professor Herbert Reichl originally ventured the idea of establishing another site of Fraunhofer IZM in Saxony in 2010, his initiative led to the creation of the very first 300mm research infrastructure in Germany, including industry-grade cleanroom facilities perfectly suited for 3D integration work. Located right in the middle of what would come to be known as Silicon Saxony, a unique research campus for innovative technologies was born with the support of the German Ministry of Education and Research, the Free State of Saxony, the EU Commission, and the Fraunhofer Society - a place where fundamental research met real-world industry applications.

    Technological milestones en route to a connected world
    Many major technological milestones have been passed over the last 15 years at Fraunhofer IZM-ASSID, with new ways to process Through-Silicon-Vias (TSV), multi-layered redistribution layers, and high-performance chip stacking solutions. The Institute continues to work on high-precision hybrid bonding, which is indispensable for today’s chiplet architectures and quantum computing.
    The innovations include the use of silicon interposers with integrated liquid cooling to manage the heat given off by high-performance processors - an idea with potential for data centers as much as for mobile devices or the self-driving cars of tomorrow. The evolution of increasingly miniaturized sensor platforms used in medical implants like neural stimulators has also been advanced at the Saxon site.

    CEASAX and APECS: Two flagship projects to protect Europe’s technological edge
    The Center for Advanced CMOS and Heterointegration Saxony (CEASAX) was founded in 2024 in partnership with Fraunhofer IPMS. CEASAX covers the entire 300mm microelectronics value chain, from the first design to a test-ready product. The new 4,000 sqm cleanroom facilities in Dresden offer an ideal environment for researching neuromorphic architectures, quantum integration, and edge AI.

    Fraunhofer IZM-ASSID is also a key actor in the formation of the APECS (Advanced Packaging and Heterogeneous Integration for Electronic Components and Systems) pilot line, one of the headline projects of the EU Chips Act. Dr. Manuela Junghähnel, Site Director at Moritzburg, explains: „This is where the technologies for chiplets are born that will give developers a new quality of freedom in terms of the performance, sustainability, and costs of their systems with their modular design. The one-stop-shop thinking behind the APECS pilot line gives SMEs in particular access to cutting-edge microelectronics manufacturing capacities, from prototyping to pre-series production.“

    International cooperation and strong networks
    As an active part of Silicon Saxony e.V. and constituent partner of the Research Fab Microelectronics Germany (FMD), Fraunhofer IZM-ASSID has excellent connections in the field - both regionally and far beyond Germany’s borders. It maintains strategic cooperations with partners including GlobalFoundries, Infineon Technologies, Siemens, NXP, imec and CEA-Leti. Finally, its close ties with the Technical University of Dresden, in the form of the chair for „Nanomaterials for Electronics Packaging“ held by Professor Juliana Panchenko, guarantee a constant stream of know-how between the academic world and more application-driven research.

    Professor Holger Hanselka, President of the Fraunhofer Society, celebrated the Dresden-based organization by saying: „The contributions of Fraunhofer IZM-ASSID to the APECS-Pilotlinie will play a major role in shaping how the Fraunhofer Society is advanc-ing major digital projects in the interest of Germany’s and Europe’s future as a hub of innovation. At the same time, CEASAX is bringing together Fraunhofer’s unique capabilities in microelectronics research to create the ideal conditions for researching our digital future and becoming a cornerstone for our country’s technological resilience. I applaud Fraunhofer IZM-ASSID for 15 years of successful research in Dresden, the home of high technology.“

    Festive Event and Symposium on 24 June 2025
    The anniversary was marked by a special festive event and symposium on „Next-Generation 3D Heterointegration“ in Dresden. The proceedings included keynote lec-tures, technology demonstrations, and roundtable discussions with representatives from industry, academia, and politics. The celebrations brought speakers from all three worlds to the site to honour the ideas and the commitment of Fraunhofer IZM-ASSID’s people and recognize the support that the site has enjoyed over the years.


    Contact for scientific information:

    Dr. Manuela Junghähnel l Wafer Level System Integration | Phone: +49 351 795572-12 l manuela.junghaehnel@assid.izm.fraunhofer.de
    Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM l Dresden Branch of the institute „All Silicon System Integration Dresden – ASSID“
    Ringstraße 12 | 01468 Dresden-Moritzburg l Germany | www.izm.fraunhofer.de


    Original publication:

    https://www.izm.fraunhofer.de/en/news_events/tech_news/15-years-of-fraunhofer-iz...


    Images

    Fraunhofer IZM-ASSID in Saxony has become synonymous with semiconductor research and development on 300mm wafers
    Fraunhofer IZM-ASSID in Saxony has become synonymous with semiconductor research and development on ...
    Source: ©Sylvia Wolf, Fraunhofer IZM
    Copyright: ©Sylvia Wolf, Fraunhofer IZM

    The speakers at the event celebrating 15 years of Fraunhofer IZM-ASSID in Moritzburg
    The speakers at the event celebrating 15 years of Fraunhofer IZM-ASSID in Moritzburg
    Source: Christian Schneider-Bröcker
    Copyright: Fraunhofer IZM


    Criteria of this press release:
    Business and commerce, Journalists, Scientists and scholars, all interested persons
    Electrical engineering
    transregional, national
    Miscellaneous scientific news/publications, Personnel announcements
    English


     

    Fraunhofer IZM-ASSID in Saxony has become synonymous with semiconductor research and development on 300mm wafers


    For download

    x

    The speakers at the event celebrating 15 years of Fraunhofer IZM-ASSID in Moritzburg


    For download

    x

    Help

    Search / advanced search of the idw archives
    Combination of search terms

    You can combine search terms with and, or and/or not, e.g. Philo not logy.

    Brackets

    You can use brackets to separate combinations from each other, e.g. (Philo not logy) or (Psycho and logy).

    Phrases

    Coherent groups of words will be located as complete phrases if you put them into quotation marks, e.g. “Federal Republic of Germany”.

    Selection criteria

    You can also use the advanced search without entering search terms. It will then follow the criteria you have selected (e.g. country or subject area).

    If you have not selected any criteria in a given category, the entire category will be searched (e.g. all subject areas or all countries).