Press and News

The Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Nano Systems ENAS in Chemnitz will receive 9.51 million euros from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the "Just Transition Fund" (JTF) for the establishment of a modern competence center for the testing and reliability evaluation of semiconductor products

For everyday work or vacations, cars – fast, flexible, and convenient – are still one of the most popular means of transport to get where you are going. But what if an electronic or safety-related component fails due to wear, material fatigue, or signs of aging? The vehicle breaks down on the road and, instead of an idyllic vacation resort, your next destination is a garage. If a spare part has to be ordered, it may take several days before the damage can be repaired and the journey can continue. How can such unexpected situations be more effectively and, above all, proactively calculated or even avoided, thereby improving road safety? Scientists and industry partners have examined the trustworthiness and reliability of electronics in the “Trust-E” project. In this interview, Dr. Jan Albrecht, head of the “Component Reliability” group and subproject manager of the “Trust-E” project at Fraunhofer ENAS, explains what answers research can provide to this question.

Fraunhofer ENAS and the Center for Micro and Nano Technologies (ZfM) at Chemnitz University of Technology welcome two microtechnology trainees as new employees after the successful completion of their three-year training period. The two research and development partners are not only linked by a long-standing cooperation in many successful joint research projects. The Chemnitz institutions also work together closely in the training of junior scientists, thus creating optimal learning conditions for gaining practical experience.

In June 2024, a new high-performance computer system with almost 2,000 computing cores in classic central processing units (CPUs) was presented to the research teams at Fraunhofer ENAS. The new supercomputer expands the institute’s research infrastructure, thus enabling it to significantly increase the speed of complex computing operations for the modeling and simulation of semiconductor technologies via parallel computing.

On August 7, 2024, 16 representatives of the Vietnamese province of Binh Duong visited Fraunhofer ENAS in Chemnitz. On the agenda of the visit by dignitaries from politics and industry were an exchange of research and development in the field of microelectronics, securing the supply of skilled professionals and young talent in high-growth regions, and intensifying German-Vietnamese relations. The “Memorandum of Understanding” signed at the event lays the foundation for the development and expansion of a successful partnership between the two countries based on mutual trust.

Dresden, Germany: 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.

Electric toothbrushes, modern smartphones, and the latest fitness trackers have one thing in common: They all integrate wireless charging technologies, taking a step into a future with fewer cables, new possibilities, but also new challenges.

The institutes Fraunhofer ISIT, IPMS and ENAS are presenting a pioneering initiative to promote MEMS-based ultrasonic sensor technology at SENSOR+TEST in Nuremberg, Germany. Their one-stop shop offers customized solutions for companies that want to benefit from the advantages of this technology.

What role do smart systems play in our daily lives, what actually makes them "smart," and how is the microelectronics industry positioned in Germany and Europe? Find out more in the podcast.

Tom Enderlein, researcher in the “Health Systems” department at Fraunhofer ENAS, was presented with the Best Paper Award at the Smart Systems Integration Conference (SSI) on April 17, 2024 in Hamburg for his research into ultrafine microneedles. With his innovative approach, extremely thin polymer needles for medical diagnostics can be manufactured precisely, cost-effectively and in large volumes. This presents an extremely promising method for the preventive monitoring of patients' medical condition.