Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Nano Systems
Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Nano Systems
© Fraunhofer Mikroelektronik

© Fraunhofer Mikroelektronik

APECS – Helping to Boost Germany and Europe’s Status as a Hub for Semiconductors

With APECS, Europe is setting up an infrastructure that is boosting the technological sovereignty and security of supply in the semiconductor industry and, in doing so, is developing and producing heterogeneous system integration and advanced packaging as a key to high-performance, energy-efficient and application-specific electronic systems in Europe.

APECS is providing strategic assistance for key areas in Europe:

  • High-performance computing
  • Data centers
  • Optical high-speed communication
  • Industrial and automotive electronics
  • Medical engineering
  • Quantum technologies

 

Strategic impetus at Fraunhofer ENAS

Through its contributions to the APECS pilot line, Fraunhofer ENAS is significantly boosting sustainable and future-oriented further development – both in the Saxony region and in Europe.

A key driver in this effort is Fraunhofer ENAS’s strategic cooperation with key industry partners. The partnership with X-FAB is a successful example of this. Their Lab-in-Fab approach enables a rapid transition of the process and integration results developed in APECS into an industrial semiconductor manufacturing environment. The goal is to test new technologies for heterogeneous integration and advanced packaging early on under real manufacturing conditions and prepare them for industrial scaling.

In doing so, the collaboration addresses a central mission of APECS: the transition from technological feasibility to robust, reproducible solutions for industrial production. For industry partners – particularly SMEs and startups – this creates reliable access to leading, high-performance technologies that are specifically tailored to industrial requirements, such as process stability and future mass-production readiness. The collaboration with X-FAB thus makes a concrete contribution to shortening innovation cycles along the European semiconductor value chain.

Furthermore, through its contributions and initiatives within the framework of APECS, the institute plays a key role in shaping the following critical strategic directions:

Boost Chemnitz and Saxony

 

New high-performance test facilities at Fraunhofer ENAS and close association to Chemnitz University of Technology are increasing the appeal of the location for talent and industry partners.

Chiplet certification

 

The methods and infrastructures for tests, reliability assessments and standardization developed in APECS are making a long-term contribution to chiplet certification.

APECS: an enabler for the ETRC

 

APECS is one of the most important enablers for the European Test and Reliability Center (ETRC), Europe’s new cutting-edge center for tests and reliability assessments of complex semiconductor elements that is established at Fraunhofer ENAS.

Security in sensitive areas

 

The methods and infrastructures developed in APECS can be linked to security-related industry requirements, such as those seen in the automotive sector, finance and critical infrastructure.

Technology multiplier

 

At European level, Fraunhofer ENAS acts as a technology multiplier and qualification entity.

High-tech test environment

 

The focus of the institute is on new high-power, RF/mm-wave and optical test facilities to provide the basis for resilient quality tests for high-performance building blocks.