Fraunhofer IISB

Infrastructure Platform for Successful R&D in the Field of SiC Epitaxy - Fraunhofer IISB R&D Award 2024 Honors Outstanding Teamwork As part of a so-called Joint Lab at Fraunhofer IISB, AIXTRON SE operates equipment, works on process development for SiC epitaxy and runs a demo center for its customers. Joint Labs like this are a great opportunity for companies to collaborate with Fraunhofer IISB in an industry-compatible laboratory environment. For our epitaxy Joint Lab, the awarded IISB team ensures the continuous fault-free operation of already 5 state-of-the-art G10 SiC reactors, and enables the installation of new systems with minimal downtime. By setting up automated metrology and by optimizing wafer logistics, workflows and data management, the team has also established a modern wafer characterization facility at the IISB with a fast feedback loop for AIXTRON. We are thrilled for our colleagues Rainer Apelt, Nino Fröbisch and Katharina Roßhirt-Lilla from the SiC Epitaxy Group of the Materials Department together with Christian Heilmann, Rainer Schönweiß and Christopher Torscher from the Infrastructure Group within the Central Services Department. Such outstanding results are the base for the success of the Joint Labs model at Fraunhofer IISB! #Semiconductor #SiC #Epitaxy #Metrology #WBG #WideBandGap #JointLab #SiCValley #IISBScienceStars #IntelligentPowerElectronics

Fastest Known Method to Reliably Detect Overcurrent in Protective Devices for LVDC Systems - Fraunhofer IISB R&D Award 2024 Johannes Gehring, research scientist in the DC Grids Group of the Intelligent Energy Systems Department at Fraunhofer IISB has been honored with the Fraunhofer IISB R&D Award 2024 for his invention of an overcurrent limiting and detection unit (OLDU). OLDU offers unbeatable advantages as a detection unit in protective devices, especially for DC applications, such as in electric vehicles, charging stations, local DC or on-board grids for ships and aircraft, where very fast switch-off times and short-circuit current limitation are required. OLDU can be used in switchgear for currents of up to several thousand amperes with ultra-fast detection in the nanosecond range, is implementable as a pure hardware solution and also cost-effective. Furthermore, it is compatible with IEC 60947-10 and has already been filed for a patent (EP23202843). We congratulate Johannes Gehring on his invention. That's the true spirit of innovation! #PowerElectronics #DC #DCGrids #eMobility #Aviation #EnergySystem #DirectCurrent #ProtectionDevice #FaultDetection #ShortCircuit #CurrentLimiter #SiCValley #IISBScienceStars #IntelligentPowerElectronics

What does a »Flying Cube« have to do with wafer processing? Quite a lot, if you ask Susanne Beuer! Susanne and her colleagues from our process control and analytics group developed a novel, ultra-fast and deposition-free strategy for Focused Ion Beam (FIB) cross-section preparation: the »Flying Cube« approach. For process control in wafer manufacturing, the FIB is used to make cross-sections in wafer samples in order to analyze layers on wafers. This method is applied to determine, for example, whether a mask has been correctly applied to all device structures. The challenge with this is that the FIB scatters when it first hits the substrate surface, creating a rounded incision that is unsuitable for further investigations. Therefore, it is currently common practice to apply a layer of platinum through which the first cut is made, before the FIB enters the sample. This platinum layer absorbs the scattering. However, applying an extra layer is time-consuming and contaminates the wafer. In comparison, the »Flying Cube« offers immense benefits: It's a cube-shaped piece of silicon (Si) that is stabilized with a needle and floats above the sample. As a result, the FIB first cuts through the Si-cube without depositing impurities on the sample surface. The »Flying Cube« can be installed quickly and reused up to 20 times. This enables timesavings up to 85% and makes the novel FIB cross-section preparation fairly cost-effective and cleanroom compatible. Want to learn more? Visit the poster presentation „Novel rapid and deposition-free strategy for FIB cross-section preparation“ by Susanne Beuer. It takes place at IEEE International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits (IPFA) 2024 on July 16, 13:10-15:10, in the Orchid Main Ballroom. If you aren't attending IPFA, you'll have to wait a little longer until the paper is published in 2025 - or contact Susanne Beuer directly. #IPFA2024 #Semiconductor #Yield #FIB #Analytics #ProcessControl #CleanroomCompatible #FlyingCube #SiCValley #IntelligentPowerElectronics

Joining European Forces for Sustainable Power Electronics: Fraunhofer IISB Contributes to FastLane EU Last week, our colleagues Norman Böttcher and Michael Jank had the pleasure to celebrate the project kick-off with the entire FastLane community, a total of 29 partners along the value chain for silicon carbide (SiC). #FastLane sets sail to boost European capabilities in engineered SiC substrates, monolithically and heterogeneously integrated power devices as well as assembly technologies. The aim is a system demonstration for drive train and energy applications. Fraunhofer IISB offers a complete R&D value chain for SiC spanning all areas of the institute. We are pleased to be part of FastLane with four departments, specifically Materials, Device R&D, Front End and Vehicle Electronics. Within FASTLANE, we will contribute expertise in SiC materials characterization, research into SiC epitaxy, and the improvement and system integration of our unique monolithically integrated SiC Solid-State Circuit Breaker. After one year of intense preparations, the first in-person meeting of the consortium was held at the premises of the coordinator Valeo France in Créteil. We thank the excellent host for providing the setting to deepen the team's great cooperation spirit. #FastLane #ChipsJU #Semiconductor #SiliconCarbide #SiC #PowerElectronics #PowerDevices #EUproject #SiCValley #IntelligentPowerElectronics

Our entire value chain for next-generation power electronics in 2 minutes, presented by Institute Director Jörg Schulze live from PCIM Europe 2024! #Semiconductor #PowerElectronics #PCIM2024 #WBG #UWBG #SiC #GaN #VehicleElectronics #Energy #Aviation #AI #SiCValley #IntelligentPowerElectronics

Gleichstrom oder Wechselstrom? Egal, welcher Stromtyp, wir haben die Jobs! Oder wenn du mit Strom nichts am Hut hast - wir bieten auch hochspannende Entwicklungsmöglichkeiten in Forschung und Entwicklung, Infrastruktur, Verwaltung oder IT. Kommt am Samstag, den 15.06.2024, auf den Erlanger Schlossplatz zum jobwalk - Deutschlands große Open-Air Job- und Karrieremesse! Von 10-16 Uhr begrüßt Euch unser Recruitingteam an Stand ER41. #jobwalk #Karriere #Ausbildung #Stellenangebot #Job #Recruiting #Hiring #JetztBewerben #Bewerbung #Mikroelektronik #Leistungselektronik #Mikrotechnologie #Nanotechnologie #Halbleiter #Halbleiterfertigung #Elektromobilität #Innovationskunst #µebauhaus #EMN #Erlangen #SiCValley #IntelligentPowerElectronics

Hello from PCIM Europe 2024! Fraunhofer ISIT, Fraunhofer-Institut für Mikroelektronische Schaltungen und Systeme IMS and Fraunhofer IISB send many greetings! Really electrifying atmosphere at our joint booth No. 6-368! #Semiconductor #PowerElectronics #PCIM2024 #WBG #UWBG #SiC #GaN #VehicleElectronics #Energy #Aviation #AI #PowerCare #SiCValley #IntelligentPowerElectronics

The Perfect Match – (U)WBG Semiconductors and Information Technology are Revolutionizing Power Electronics Faster, stronger, higher: Wide-bandgap semiconductor technology and artificial intelligence together are revolutionizing power electronics. Intelligent power electronic systems are unlocking new areas of application with extreme operating and environmental conditions. However, every component must be ultra-high performance as well as absolutely reliable. These high demands of system development apply in particular to semiconductor materials and devices as well as packaging and module technology. At PCIM Europe, from June 11-13, 2024 in Nuremberg, the Institutes Fraunhofer IISB, Fraunhofer ISIT and Fraunhofer-Institut für Mikroelektronische Schaltungen und Systeme IMS will be presenting the entire value chain of these next-generation power electronics. You are most welcome to visit us at the first ever joint Fraunhofer booth, no. 6-368. We await you with full Fraunhofer-power (electronics)! Read more about the revolution in power electronics and our portfolio at PCIM Europe in our press release: https://lnkd.in/dvmCY98t #Semiconductor #PowerElectronics #PCIM2024 #WBG #UWBG #SiC #GaN #VehicleElectronics #Energy #Aviation #AI #PowerCare #SiCValley #IntelligentPowerElectronics

Does -196 °C sound cold to you? Well, its not "too cool" for our cryogenically cooled drive inverter for electric flying! Superconducting systems, where the electric current flows virtually without resistance and with hardly any losses, are a suitable solution for electric drives for electric aviation. Superconductivity enables maximum performance in terms of efficiency, weight, and installation space. Many electrical conductors are only superconducting at cryogenic temperatures. This is why all drive components - including the complex inverter - must work under such demanding conditions. Our colleagues from the vehicle electronics department demonstrated a cryogenic 500 kW drive inverter. It is cooled with liquid nitrogen at 77 Kelvin (K), corresponding to -196 °C or -321 °F. The cryogenic inverter is the result of a cooperation with Airbus UpNext. As part of its ASCEND program, Airbus Aircraft is now building a prototype of a fully cryogenic electric aircraft powertrain. This is possible for the first time with the IISB drive converter in the 500 kW power class. Want to take a look at the cryogenic drive inverter yourself and have a chat with the masterminds behind it? Meet our team at ILA Berlin - Pioneering Aerospace from June 5-9! There are plenty of other aviation surprises waiting for you at Fraunhofer AVIATION & SPACE in hall 2, booth 270. #Cryogenic #PowerElectronics #Aviation #CleanAviation #PioneeringAerospace #Airbus #ILABerlin #ILA24 #BER #SiCValley #IntelligentPowerElectronics

PCIM Europe 2024 is just around the corner! This year you will experience the full Fraunhofer power electronics power at our joint booth (No. 6-368) with Fraunhofer-Institut für Mikroelektronische Schaltungen und Systeme IMS, Fraunhofer ISIT, FMD - Forschungsfabrik Mikroelektronik Deutschland, Project PowerCare and Fraunhofer IISB. Stay tuned and curious... #PCIM2024 #Semiconductor #PowerElectronics #Aviation #VehicleElectronics #WBG #UWBG #SiC #GaN #FMD #Nuremberg #EMN #Innovationskunst #SiCValley #IntelligentPowerElectronics