Fraunhofer EMFT

Sensors and Actuators
for People and the Environment

Fraunhofer EMFT

Tailored

Solutionsfor Customers andCooperation Partners“

Our portfolio of offerings reflects the diversity of
Munich’s corporate landscape, which includes everything from large-scale corporations to highly creative start-ups. Rather than off-the-peg products,
we aim to offer our customers tailor-made solutions
that are as straightforward as possible while at thesame time reflecting a high level of sophistication. It
isn’t the size of the project that matters: what reallycounts is how we can help our customers achieve
success. The customer grows in the market and wegrow with them as their technology partner – that’s
what I regard as a win-win situation. The result isoften years of very sound collaboration with exciting customers.”
Prof. Christoph Kutter
Director of Fraunhofer EMFT

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A firm commitment to chip design will provide the research scene with a profitable impetus –in Europe, in Germany and right here at our institute: innovative chip design solutions are an
enabler for extremely powerful and energy-efficient sensors and microsystems, and these areultimately the common denominator of our strategic research topics – from quantum technologies through to digitalization in medicine and smart farming.
On the pages that follow, we invite you to take a look back at what we got up to in 2023.
Enjoy!

Best regards,

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Amelie Hagelauer

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Christoph Kutter

Welcome Message

Dear Fraunhofer EMFT customers, cooperation partners and sponsors,
2023 will stay in our memories as the year of a major milestone: on March 1, Fraunhofer EMFT
became an institute. This gives us an additional incentive to develop new solutions to tackle
current economic and social challenges on an ongoing basis.
In turbulent times, being able to build on a solid foundation is more important than ever. For
this reason, we have added a new pillar to our portfolio of expertise by establishing of our
Circuit Design research group. Comprising a mix of doctoral students and experienced designers with an industry background, the team is excellently positioned to develop innovative,
market-oriented solutions. All the more reason for us to look forward to working with ourcolleagues at Fraunhofer IIS and Fraunhofer AISEC at the newly founded Bavarian Chip Design
Center BCDC: in creating this joint R&D platform, we’re looking to pool our expertise so as
to be able to offer companies easier access to chip design and its supply chains – a powerfulstimulus for a competitive Bavarian economy! At European level, initiatives such as the European
Chips Act underline the key strategic role of this topic. This package of measures is a vital step
towards reducing Europe’s dependence on external supplies and maintaining technologicalindependence.

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Content
People, Facts and Figures...........................................................................................8
Diversity at Fraunhofer EMFT.................................................................................10
Strategic Research Topics.........................................................................................14Competences and Reference Projects.....................................................................17
Micro- and Nanotechnologies................................................................................18
Micropumps...........................................................................................................20
Safe and Secure Electronics....................................................................................22
Sensor Solutions....................................................................................................24
Circuit Design.........................................................................................................26
Highlights and Scientific Activities.........................................................................28
Highlights..............................................................................................................29
Bachelor’s Degree Theses.......................................................................................33
Master’s Degree Theses.........................................................................................33
Doctorates.............................................................................................................33
Talks......................................................................................................................34
Publications............................................................................................................34
Patents...................................................................................................................36
Network....................................................................................................................38
Fraunhofer Innovation Platform for Sensors and Applied Systems...........................39
Center for Interconnection Technologies................................................................40
High Performance Center “Secure Intelligent Systems”..........................................42
The FMD as a One-stop Shop for Micro- and Nanoelectronics.............................. 44
Youth Development.................................................................................................46
Research Hand in Hand with Sustainability...........................................................52
Contact......................................................................................................................54
Impressum.................................................................................................................58

Sensors applied directly to a leaf
to monitor the vital data of plants.
Electrical-chemical measurements canbe used to record such things as plantwater content and nutrient content.
© Fraunhofer EMFT / Bernd Müller

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Our Year 2023—

175+
Employees

People, Facts and Figures

In order to achieve this, you need a strong team: compared to the previous year, the number ofpermanent staff at the institute increased by 16 in 2023, with a total of workforce of 175 as ofthe end of the year. Of these, 112 people are employed in the scientific area and 63 in support
areas, including marketing, IT, administration, technology, quality management, organization and services. In addition, the Fraunhofer EMFT team has been supplemented with three
trainees.

Another 76 student assistants from a wide range of universities and other higher education institutions were employedat Fraunhofer EMFT over the course of the year. They wereinvolved in Fraunhofer EMFT research activities and/or
worked on their final thesis.

Team Size
250

92

The Fraunhofer EMFT team was able
to make its contribution to tackling thecurrent challenges facing society in 2023
with a total of 92 projects. 41% of thesecan be assigned to the research area
Micro- and Nanotechnologies. This in turnforms the basis for Fraunhofer EMFT’s
research areas Sensor Solutions, Circuit Design, Micropumps, and Safe and Secure Electronics. It is precisely theinterdisciplinary interaction between these areas that helps
us produce forward-looking solutions for people and theenvironment.

Share of Research Projects by Competence

Projects

41%
10%

92

11%
26%

12%

Fraunhofer EMFT offers outstanding expertise from all over
the world: our team comes from a total of 27 different countries. Together we drive forward research and developmentof sensor systems and actuators to the benefit of humanbeings and the environment. Our multicultural backgroundis a key advantage, enabling us to look at scientific issues
from a diverse range of perspectives. We make the most of
this opportunity to inspire each other in terms of our mindset
and our problem-solving strategies.
More info: emft.fraunhofer.de/facts-figures

200

150

100

50

0
2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Scientific Field

Trainees

Support Areas*

Student Assistants* marketing, IT, administration, technology, quality management, organization & services

Micro- and Nanotechnologies

Circuit Design

Sensor Solutions

Micropumps

Knowledge from Around the World

20.6

M€

Safe and Secure Electronics

Operating Budget

The operating budget
of Fraunhofer EMFT in
2023 was around 20.6
million euros. Industrial
orders generated a total
volume of around 3.7
million euros, or 18.3%of the operating budget.

Financial Budget

25000

20000

15000

10000

5000

0
2019

2021

2022

2023

Business Revenue

Other Income

Public Revenue

Institutional Funding

EU Earnings

8

2020

Austria
Bulgaria
CanadaChina
Croatia
Czech Rep.
Egypt
FinlandFranceGermany
India
IranIsraelItaly
MexicoMoldova
MoroccoNetherlands
Pakistan
Philippines
PolandPortugal
Romania
RussiaSlovenia
TurkeyVietnam9

Embracing Diversity Together—

Diversity at Fraunhofer EMFT
Diversity is of vital importance to us at Fraunhofer EMFT. We firmly believe that the diversity of our employees is among our strengths,
and we are actively committed to integrating
this aspect into our day-to-day work. This not
only contributes to increased satisfaction anda better sense of well-being at the workplace,it also enhances the working environment
at the institute. Our diversity efforts extend
across various areas of responsibility and are
deeply rooted in our corporate structure andculture:1. Diversity as a driver for innovation: Thesharing of different ideas and perspectives
promotes creativity, innovation and theability to solve problems.
2. Promotion of empathy, cooperationand equal opportunities: We promoteequal opportunities through diversity while
seeking to overcome discrimination andcreate an inclusive working environment.
Our awareness of the needs of all employees promotes cooperation across culturaland social boundaries, thereby contributing
to the creation of a fairer society.

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The five dimensions of diversity

3. Respect and appreciation: We go
beyond legal requirements and ethical standards to ensure that diversity isrespected and discrimination is avoided.
By means of specific diversity projects wepromote an inclusive working environment
in which all employees are recognized,
respected, appreciated and valued.

Gender balance: Fraunhofer EMFT is actively
committed to gender diversity and equality.
We promote women’s careers in science andleadership, organize Girls’ Day to spark girls’
interest in technology-related professions,and advocate a modern image of the malerole in society that attaches value to work-lifebalance and family commitment. We take careto ensure the appropriate use of gender-sensitive language. Our initiatives dedicated toequality and gender diversity are an important
step towards creating an inclusive and diverse
working environment.

“Our signing of the Diversity Charta
in 2011 reflects our clear commitment
to these principles. This means weundertake to create a prejudice-freeworking environment in which
EVERYONE has the opportunity todevelop their full potential.”

Diversity of generations: At our institute,
mixed-age teams work hand in hand. We
draw on the diversity of age as a source ofstrength, benefiting from the diversity of ouremployees’ knowledge, qualifications, skills
and perspectives. We promote the transfer
of knowledge across the generations, invest
in promoting young talent and offer personnel development measures. This allows all
employees to realize their full potential whilelearning from their colleagues’ experience andexpertise.
Equal opportunities at Fraunhofer EMFT:
Equal opportunities, equal rights and fair pay
are key values at Fraunhofer EMFT. Our aim
is to create an unprejudiced working environment in which all employees can develop
in a way that allows them to remain fullyauthentic. We promote transparency throughclear salary structures (public service wage
agreement – TVöD) that are free of gender-specific differences, and we work to minimize the gender pay gap. We are also committed to an inclusive working environment
in which employees feel safe and respected
regardless of their sexual orientation.

Diversity brings people
together: our employees
reflect the diversity of theinstitute

Ethnic origin, nationality, religion andoutlook: At Fraunhofer EMFT, the cultural
diversity of our more than 170 employees is
an important part of our everyday working
life. We value differing mentalities and cultural
perspectives since these enhance our capacity
to innovate, foster motivation and support
equal opportunities. Our initiatives to promotecultural diversity include language courses
and a bilingual culture of communication. We
are also planning programs to raise culturalawareness and strengthen partnerships withinternational research institutions.
Support for people with disabilities: At
Fraunhofer EMFT we promote an inclusive
culture, supporting employees in all situations
and also enabling barrier-free working. We
embrace inclusion in practice, offering people
with physical or mental disabilities the opportunity to develop their full potential in a wide
variety of positions. Our initiatives include a
local contact person for equal opportunity
issues at all Fraunhofer Institutes and theCentral Representation of Employees with
Disabilities.

11Diversity at Fraunhofer EMFT

Our diversity goals
Our four diversity goals provide the basis forour inclusive and diverse corporate culture at
Fraunhofer EMFT:

1. Promoting diversity through awareness-raising measures and training.
2. The structural anchoring of diversity at
the institute ensures that it is taken into
consideration and internalized as partof all processes, including recruitment,
career development, decision-making andmanagement.
3. Creation of an inclusive work culture inwhich proactive measures are taken tocounter discrimination.
4. Our goal of promoting diversity at Fraunhofer EMFT involves recognizing andvaluing a wide range of backgrounds,
experiences, skills and perspectives.

The Flex Team at Fraunhofer EMFT
© Fraunhofer EMFT / Puneet Sansare

What Does Diversity Mean to You?
“Diversity to me is respect and openness to everyone’s perspective.
There is so much more to people than what you see.”
Puneet Sansare, student assistant on the Marketing, Communication andStrategy Team © Fraunhofer EMFT / Puneet Sansare“For me as an HR developer, diversity at Fraunhofer EMFT means not only
recognizing and valuing the diversity of our employees and their differing
backgrounds and perspectives, but also proactively creating an inspiring andinclusive work environment through our organization in which everyone candevelop their full potential.”
More info
Jennifer Salagean’s view on diversity: an interview about the colorful world of diversity© Fraunhofer EMFT / Bernd Müller

emft.fraunhofer.de/
diversity-emft
Read full Interview

1213Researching Today for the World of Tomorrow—

Strategic Research
TopicsThe motivation and common goal at Fraunhofer EMFT is to make a difference! Employees make targeted use of their longstanding experienceand extensive expertise in microelectronics and microsystems technology to contribute actively to tackling the current challenges our society isfacing.
But what does this mean in concrete terms? Starting from issues of current andfuture relevance to society, Fraunhofer EMFT identifies precisely those topics
where its expertise really can generate added value. In short: the strategic
research topics pursued by Fraunhofer EMFT – and by the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft in general – derive from the overlap between the challenges to be
met and the expertise that is available. As a result, these research topics are
by no means static: they shift over time depending on the issues and problems
to be solved as well as their degree of relevance and urgency. To this end,
Fraunhofer maintains ongoing dialog with policymakers, funding bodies andindustry.
The following strategic research topics are currently the focus of Fraunhofer
EMFT’s R&D activities:
Trusted Electronics
Microelectronics for Quantum Technologies
Neuromorphic Computing
Sensors and Actuators for Intelligent Medicine
Resource Efficiency in Microelectronics
Sensors and Actuators for Smart Farming
Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Sensor Technology

Trusted Electronics
Electronics are trusted when they meet all of our expectations in terms of functionality and specifications while at the same timeleaving no loopholes that would make them vulnerable to attack. Trusted electronics are essential, especially in sensitive areas ofapplication such as medical technology, the automotive industry and aerospace technology. Fraunhofer EMFT’s expertise in thefield of Safe and Secure Electronics enables research into the causes of complex faults and reliability problems, monitoring ofelectrical connections, and the development of concepts for hardware security and tamper protection in electronic systems.

Microelectronics for Quantum Technologies
Quantum technologies have the potential to be extensive game changers in areas such as quantum sensing for high-precisionand high-performance sensors, as well as in quantum computing. Nonetheless, there are still some challenges when it comes tothe practical implementation of quantum technologies – and this is precisely where Fraunhofer EMFT research areas of Microand Nanotechnologies, Interconnect Technologies and Safe and Secure Electronics come into play as enablers. In connection with large-scale research projects in the field of quantum computing – Munich Quantum Valley (MQV) and FMD-QNC– Fraunhofer EMFT’s R&D activities seek to achieve reliable and scalable development and production of qubit chips, as well as
their integration and miniaturization, so as to realize quantum systems that are as high-performance, reliable and energy-efficientas possible.

Neuromorphic Computing
Neuromorphic computing uses neural networks as algorithms for integrated circuits to enable parallel computation of data in
distributed memories. This makes neuromorphic chips much faster and more efficient than existing processors. Fraunhofer EMFT
applies its expertise in Micro- and Nanoelectronics to investigate neurologically inspired computer architectures with memristors based on new 2D nanomaterials, for example. Our expertise in the field of Circuit Design is put to use to develop innovative analog and digital neuromorphic circuits, for example.

Sensors and Actuators for Intelligent Medicine
As a field of research, Intelligent Medicine offers enormous potential in terms of enabling affordable health and medical carebased on new options for diagnosis and treatment. Numerous R&D activities at Fraunhofer EMFT are concerned with solutions in
the area of Intelligent Medicine. Micropumps have a key role to play here, primarily for a diverse range of uses in therapy. In thefield of Sensor Solutions, novel methods and systems are developed for improved diagnostics. In conjunction with sensors andactuators, our expertise in the field of AI enables intelligent combined solutions in the area of diagnosis and therapy.

Resource Efficiency in Microelectronics
Resource conservation, energy efficiency and a reduction of the carbon footprint in Microelectronics production are the main
motivations behind the strategic research topic of Resource Efficiency in Microelectronics. Fraunhofer EMFT conducts research
into the use of more ecofriendly materials in Micro- and Nanoelectronics and their transfer to industry. Other importantresearch areas dedicated to more sustainable Microelectronics include circuit development geared towards producing moreenergy-efficient chips, monitoring of the energy consumption of semiconductor processes using smart sensor technology, andinnovative abatement concepts.

Sensors and Actuators for Smart Farming
Ensuring a sustainable supply of food for the population is a fundamental challenge at the global, national and regional level.
Smart farming is a promising and pragmatic approach to applying information and communication technologies in farming to
combine economic and environmental goals in food production. Fraunhofer EMFT’s expertise in this area can be put to use in avariety of ways: in the areas of Sensor Solutions and Micropumps this is currently happening in connection with plant phenotyping, emission analysis in animal husbandry and supply chain monitoring in the food industry, to name a few examples.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Sensor Technology

More info

Sensors are already indispensable as suppliers of data in numerous application areas. If the collected raw data can be analyzed
and processed directly at the sensor node instead of being uploaded to the cloud, this enhances the data security, energy efficiency and response speed of the system as a whole. Fraunhofer EMFT combines its expertise in the field of Sensor Solutions
in particular with AI methods such as machine learning to develop smart sensor nodes for environmental monitoring, medical
wearables and production process monitoring, for example.

www.emft.fraunhofer.de/research-topics

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Experience Meets Know-how

Fraunhofer EMFT

Pursuing Research
to Shape the World“—

Competences
Fraunhofer EMFT’s R&D activities are based on five core competences:
Micro- and Nanotechnologies forms the basis for the other four areas ofexpertise, namely Micropumps, Safe and Secure Electronics, Sensor Solutions and Circuit Design. It is the interdisciplinary interplay between theseareas of expertise in particular that gives rise to pioneering solutions.

Fraunhofer EMFT stands for applied research with a strong industrial focus. Within national and European research alliances, we
drive forward key future-oriented areas of research so to ensure

On the pages that follow, we present our areas of expertise in detail, combinedwith information about selected reference projects that reflect the successfultransfer of our expertise to application. This clearly illustrates the added value
offered by our research – for both people and the environment.

prosperity and quality of life for future generations.
Our position at the interface between preliminary research andindustry offers ambitious researchers an incredibly diverse and fascinating field of activity: this ranges from completely new subjects
where preliminary research has to be conducted at the university
with various solutions being investigated to establish underlying
principles, through to tried-and-tested ready-to-market solutions
where we are involved in adding the finishing touches. Thanks tothis broad spectrum, we help to shape new solutions from start tofinish and at the same time building an ideally positioned network.”
Prof. Amelie Hagelauer,
Director of Fraunhofer EMFT
More infowww.emft.fraunhofer.de/competences

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Competences

Reference Project—

On the Track to Quantum Computing: Higher
Scalability of Superconducting Qubits
The aim is for quantum computers toeasily solve tasks that even today’s data
centers fail to tackle. But there are stillsome challenges to overcome before
these computing geniuses can actually
be used in widespread applications. In
connection with Munich Quantum Valley,
Fraunhofer EMFT researchers work topromote the transfer of quantum technologies to industry.

Resonators for material analysis for superconducting qubits on 200-mm wafers with Nb
coating © Fraunhofer EMFT / Bernd Müller

Micro- andNanotechnologies
Fraunhofer EMFT has an extensive, state-of-theart technology park as well as comprehensive
expertise in the field of micro- and nanotechnology: the latter ranges from process development
and electronic component development to foil
electronics, heterointegration and system integration. This know-how forms the basis for the
institute’s research activities.

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One focus of their activities is to optimize thescalability and stability of superconducting
qubits. They are the basic units of superconducting quantum computers and consist ofa Josephson junction – a high-precision set
superconductor-nonconductor-superconductor junction in the qubit circuits – and aresonator.
They are able to superpose for a certain
period of time – the so-called coherence time,
assuming all possible states at the same time.
This allows the quantum computer to compute all solution paths simultaneously, which
dramatically increases computational speed. A
quantum computer can only compute within
this time span, however. In order to improvethe coherence time and keep it stable over aslong a period as possible, the researchers arefocusing on achieving the greatest possible
homogeneity in production. The more finely
tuned the individual components are to eachother, the longer the coherence time thatcan be achieved. Improved coherence time ofsuperconducting quantum circuits is considered a critical requirement for the successful
industrial operation of quantum computers.

Detailed view of a foil system
to measure temperatureduring processing© Fraunhofer EMFT / Bernd
MüllerAnother challenge is to minimize the noisethat occurs in existing quantum computers,
since this can lead to a high error rate in thecalculations and significantly reduce performance capacity. The problem is that theindividual qubits are extremely susceptible tointerference, as they are subject to thermal,
electromagnetic and even cosmic interference and phenomena that result in noise andtherefore computational errors. In order tocompensate for these fluctuations, as many
qubits as possible must be interconnected as
closely as possible to one another on a chip
while still not influencing each other. At the
moment, the limit here is nine qubits. The
research team at Fraunhofer EMFT is pursuing
the approach of being able to interconnect
significantly more qubits than before based on
space-saving design by means of through-silicon vias (TSV) through the 200-mm siliconwafer.
Munich Quantum Valley is funded by the stateof Bavaria.
More info
More info about the project and aninterview with researcher Alexandra
Schewskiwww.emft.fraunhofer.de/micro-nano-technologies

19Competences

Reference Project—

Sensor System Enables in-situ Soil Analyses on
Site
Healthy soils provide the basis for sustainable and productive agricultural use.
This means that in-situ measurements
of indicative soil parameters would bean effective tool for farmers to optimize
cultivation – but as things stand there are
hardly any practicable solutions available
on the market. In the project FAMOSOS,
researchers at Fraunhofer EMFT are working with partners to develop a measurement system that provides real-time soil
data on material flows such as nitrogen(ammonium, nitrate, nitrous oxide), moisture, pH value and dissolved oxygen.

Fraunhofer EMFT is developing an active
microfluidic extraction unit as part of thesensor system. This contains suction probes
or soil samplers that are integrated with anapplication-specific piezoelectric micromembrane pump. The miniaturized unit is installed
directly in the soil and transmits the generated data wirelessly to a central measuring
station. Depending on research requirements,
the aim is to enable both continuous anddiscontinuous operating modes. In this way,
the researchers make it possible to carryout informative soil analyses while avoiding
time-consuming sample preparation andlengthy waiting times for lab results.

Multilayer connections of astainless steel micropump© Fraunhofer EMFT / Bernd
MüllerFAMOSOS brings together a highly experienced team with expertise in soil physics
and biophysical modeling, soil microbiology,
agricultural management and microfluidics, aswell as information and communication technologies, including sensors and wireless datatransmission. The data generated through the
project will enable a process-based understanding of the nitrogen cycle and provide
valuable input for process-oriented models.
© MEV-Verlag

Micropumps
The metering of gases and liquids to the nearest
nanoliter is a key research area at Fraunhofer
EMFT. The portfolio includes highly miniaturized
silicon, stainless steel and titanium micropumps
as well as metering system solutions. The spectrum of applications ranges from medical technology and industrial applications to consumer
electronics.

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Soil analyses are usually carried out in the lab,which is time-consuming and cost-intensive.
For this reason, the project FAMOSOS (FArm
MOnitoring via Real-time SOil Sensing) aims todevelop a simple, accurate and reliable sensor
system that allows measurements to be taken
directly on site and in real time. The research
partners aim to use this project to test theirmeasurement system on various cultivationand grassland systems in both conventionaland organic farming.

The project is funded by the Federal Ministryof Education and Research (BMBF) underreference 031B1377B.
More info about the project

More infowww.emft.fraunhofer.de/micropumps

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Competences

Safe and SecureElectronics
Fraunhofer EMFT has wide-ranging expertisein both the reliability and tamper-proofing ofelectronic components and systems. R&D activities
include failure analysis, ESD testing and protection concepts, module preparation for safety
analyses and hardware-based tamper protection
technologies.

Reference Project—

Highly Automated Autonomous Bus for Local
Public Transport
Greater flexibility and convenience are
two key aspects when it comes to increasing the appeal of local transport, forexample by offering a denser transportation network and more frequent connections. One promising approach to achieving this goal is the use of low-cost feeder
vehicles without drivers. Fraunhofer EMFT
is involved in the development of a prototype for such an autonomous people
mover in connection with the funding
project SUE (Self-driving Urban E-Shuttle).
This vehicle is to combine a high degreeof flexibility with passenger comfort,
making it a fully-fledged alternative tothe passenger car.

© Scott Webb / Unsplash

The SUE has an innovative and attractive
design and the capacity to cover long distances, as well as being flexible, adaptableto requirements and efficient in terms ofsize and weight. In order to meet the mostrigorous safety standards, all safety-relevant
aspects feature comprehensive redundancies.
The project consortium led by Uedelhoven
GmbH & Co. KG combines expertise in vehicle
design, drive technology, battery technology,
autonomous driving algorithms and sensor
technology for vehicle development, and it isalso supported by other partners in the areasof approval capability and user-friendliness.

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The focus of the work being done at Fraunhofer EMFT is on developing a robust primary
localization concept by combining various
redundant localization methods. In addition,
the Munich-based researchers are designing
an RFID-based solution for vehicle localizationin which the current vehicle position is derived
from RFID tags in the form of previously positioned landmarks.

ESD system test with broadband measurement of thesecondary discharge current© Fraunhofer EMFT / Bernd
MüllerFrom the end of 2024 onwards, the highly
automated people mover will transportpassengers from the railway station to nearby
health resorts or shopping facilities as partof the local public transport network in the
district of Kelheim. Unlike similar projects inthe past, particular attention is being paid
here to achieving the highest possible average
travel speed in order to offer users genuine
added value.
By creating vehicles such as the SUE, thedevelopment team aims to increase the appealof public transport by deploying reliable,autonomous and cost-effective shuttle
services, especially in rural areas. Smaller
municipalities could also benefit from thisconcept, since they could offer less frequently
used services that would be unprofitable asconventional public transportation links.
SUE is funded by the Federal Ministry for
Economic Affairs and Climate Action underreference 19A21047D.
More info
More info about the project
www.emft.fraunhofer.de/safe-secure-electronics

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Competences

Sensor Solutions
One key area of expertise at Fraunhofer EMFT
is the design of novel, high-performance sensor
solutions that enable perfect interaction between
sensor technology and its environment. The useof AI methods such as machine learning increases
data security, energy efficiency and the reaction speed of the system as a whole. In this area,
in-house developments are sometimes combinedwith existing solutions.

Reference Project—

High-tech Guardian Angel for Mother and ChildA birth is a miracle of nature – but also
a highly volatile phase in the life of
both mother and baby. In the EU project
Newlife, researchers from six European
countries are working together on innovative sensor-based monitoring solutions
to ensure the well-being of mother andchild over the course of pregnancy aswell as during and after birth. The aim
is to digitally revolutionize pediatric andobstetric care.

the health of newborns, and sensors in thecrib to monitor the well-being of babies.

Sensor materials for combined
in-line measurements© Fraunhofer EMFT / Bernd

In connection with this project, the Fraunhofer
EMFT research team is developing a micropump which is integrated in an ultrasonic
patch. The patch combines constant monitoring of the fetal heartbeat with continuous
real-time imaging. The micropump generates
a defined negative pressure that enables aplaster to be attached to the abdomen –entirely without the use of adhesive.

Müller

The Munich-based researchers are also
working on pH sensors that are integrated ina foil. These are designed to measure the pH
value of pregnant women’s vaginal discharge
in order to predict the date of delivery as
accurately as possible.

© Picsea / Unsplash

The project involves 25 European partners,
among them Fraunhofer EMFT, who are developing innovative digital health solutions forremote screening for the period of pregnancy
and also during and after birth. By means ofdigital platforms and wearables as well assuitable applications and services, users areto be empowered to proactively protect theirhealth. This health ecosystem is also designed
to support medical professionals in taking
targeted preventive measures.
To this end, the researchers are pursuing fivespecific application scenarios for hospitals
and the home environment: a pregnancy
and parenting companion, smart clothingfor early detection of possible complications
during pregnancy, special ultrasound patches
to monitor the fetus in the case of high-risk
pregnancies, smart clothing for monitoring

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Thirdly, a capacitive pressure-sensitive mattress is to be created on the institute’s own
roll-to-roll lithography pilot plant. This mattress detects the baby’s movement and position at all times and is to be used for remotemonitoring of high-risk babies – e.g. their vital
signs – both at home and in hospital, using
several non-invasive sensor technologies.
The project partners are also looking to draw
on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machinelearning (ML) in order to fully exploit thepotential of the technologies developed. The
new solutions are to offer seamless integration in clinical workflows as well as the appropriate data integration, security and medical
qualification.
The project is funded through the European
research program KDT Joint Undertaking (JU)under reference 101095792.

More infowww.emft.fraunhofer.de/sensor-solutions

More info about the project25

Competences

Circuit Design
The Fraunhofer EMFT team has key expertise in
the development of integrated circuits. In addition to in-house developments, work in this area
also involves the integration of third-party circuit
blocks (IP). The focus here is on the design ofcircuit blocks, complete ASICs and systems-on-chipfor very high frequencies, low-noise amplifiers,
power amplifiers and AD converters.

Reference Project—

Energy-efficient Chips to Accelerate Neuromorphic Applications
Neuromorphic computing is considered a key
technology for future AI applications. The
sophisticated nerve network of the humanbrain serves as a model here. One challenge facing research is the very high levelof power consumed by the chips due to thecomplex computing involved. In connection
with the ECSEL project TEMPO, the German
consortium is working on the development
and evaluation of low-power neuromorphic
computing chips.

Evaluation board for neuromorphic computing
chip (TEMPO)© Fraunhofer EMFT / Bernd Müller

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has developed
considerably thanks to the rapid increase in
the computing power available. However,increasing computing power through thehomogeneous integration of conventional
von Neumann computing systems is neither
energy-efficient nor sensible: this is becauseof the significant energy consumption and theconsiderable increase in bandwidth requiredfor data transfer between the huge memory
and the local computing units.
Analog/mixed-signal neuromorphic computer chips could pave the way for energy-efficient and sustainable AI based oncompute-in-memory (CIM) techniques. As
part of the ECSEL project TEMPO (Technology & Hardware for Neuromorphic Computing), Fraunhofer EMFT is working on the26

development and evaluation of energy-efficient neuromorphic computer chips in the
28-nm technology node.

Characterization and test
board for micropumps ASIC in
QFN-48 housing© Fraunhofer EMFT / Bernd

Recently, researchers have been using new
non-volatile memories (eNVMs) to store
synapses in artificial neural networks (ANNs)
as programmable electrical properties such as
electrical conductance. At the same time, ananalog multiplication-accumulation operation (MAC) draws on the electrical properties
of eNVMs for the purpose of multiplication
while accumulating currents or charges at theoutput.

MüllerThis enables a high degree of parallelism
in the multiplications while minimizing theneed for data movements in connection withthe synapses. However, analog operation
is impaired by non-linearities in the circuits,noise and process fluctuations, resulting
in limited computational accuracy. For thisreason, one key challenge is to improve thethroughput and energy efficiency of analog
neuromorphic chips while still maintaining
computational accuracy and without compromising other aspects of performance.
The Fraunhofer EMFT team is focusing on thedevelopment of energy-efficient analog andmixed-signal neuromorphic hardware using
ferroelectric field-effect transistors (FeFET) andstatic random access memories (SRAM). The
primary aim is to achieve optimum calculation
accuracy.
The project is funded by the EU under reference 826655 as part of the ECSEL initiativeand by the BMBF under reference 16ESE0407.

More infowww.emft.fraunhofer.de/circuit-design

More info about the project27

Progress by Applied ResearchHighlights

Highlights and Scientific
Activities

Quantum computers made in Bavaria—

Since we are an institute dedicated to applied research, academic excellence
is a key promise of quality in terms of our research activities and collaborative
ventures. On the following pages you will find an overview of the following
accomplishments at Fraunhofer EMFT in 2023:
Bachelor’s and master’s degree theses
Doctorates
Talks
Publications
Patents

AR. And while everyone else was busy soldering, crimping or
inspecting the Mobile Learning Hub, the little ones were able
to immerse themselves in the world of science and research byplaying AR games such as Graffiti 3D. With us, there’s simply
never a dull moment!
More info about the Mobile Learning Hub

For two days at the end of February 2023, activities at our
institute were dedicated entirely to quantum computers. We
hosted a workshop and an on-site visit for our Munich Quantum Valley colleagues, and together we set out on the “Expedition Future”: the aim is to develop and operate a competitive, superconducting quantum computer “made in Bavaria”.
Quantum computers are expected to be able to effortlessly
solve tasks that even today’s supercomputing centers failat. But there are still a number of challenges to overcome
before these computing geniuses are ready to be put to use
in practice. So at Fraunhofer EMFT we’re working on optimizing the scalability and stability of qubits – the basic units of aquantum computer. Our heads were spinning, but we still had
lots of fun in the course of what was an intense and inspiringexchange of ideas!
More info about MQV

But first of all we’d like to give you a sneak peek at our highlights from lastyear!

Green ICT & FMD Innovation Day
Energy-efficient technologies, resource-saving processes, more
ecofriendly materials: there are lots of ways to achieve a betteralignment between digitalization and ecology. In mid-September 2023 there were two opportunities to share ideas on
the subject: at Green ICT Connect and the FMD Innovation
Day in Berlin, organized by the Research Fab Microelectronics
Germany (FMD), speakers from industry and research presented a colorful potpourri of intriguing solutions dedicated togreen ICT. A Fraunhofer EMFT team was in on the action too,of course: in addition to presenting ecofriendly alternatives tocleaning gases in semiconductor production, our colleagues
also showed exhibits on the subject of current sensors. All
in all, it was a great event with informative discussions – notjust with customers and anyone else interested but also withpartners from industry and numerous colleagues from otherinstitutes. Following its successful launch, this event is now set
to become a permanent fixture in the FMD’s annual calendar.
Thumbs up for a greener world!
More info about the strategic research topic Resource
efficiency in microelectronics and about the FMD livestreams

Full concentration in the AR game Graffiti 3D – what on earth are they painting? © Fraunhofer EMFT / Elisa Göbel

The Fraunhofer EMFT team with Munich Quantum Valley guests© Fraunhofer EMFT / Elisa Göbel

Knowledge through AR
From May 5 to 7, 2023, the Munich Science Days transformed
Deutsches Museum Verkehrszentrum into a place for all thosewith a curious mind, both young and old alike. At the Fraunhofer EMFT stand dedicated to the theme “Improved learning
through Augmented Reality (AR)”, visitors had the opportunity
to try out our Augmented Reality (AR) glasses. At their experimental station, Frank Ansorge and his team from the Centerfor Connection Technology in Electronics (ZVE) demonstrated
how virtual learning can work remotely, too, and what continuing education of the future could look like with the help of

28

The Fraunhofer EMFT team at the Green ICT Connect & FMD
Innovation Day in Berlin © Fraunhofer EMFT

29

Highlights and Scientific Activities

Dr. Agnes Bußmann is awarded 1st place in the Hugo Geiger
Prize © Fraunhofer / Markus Jürgens

Star Trek? Space tech!
“City of space” – which city could that possibly be? All theexperts in the aerospace industry probably know the answer:
from November 14 to 16, 2023, the time came once again for
BREMEN to host the 6th edition of Europe’s largest B2B eventfor the aerospace industry – Space Tech Expo (STE)! And unlike
many other Fraunhofer Institutes, this was the first time that
Fraunhofer EMFT took part. And we have to admit: we werequite nervous about it. But any apprehension was completely
unfounded: our colleagues Frank Vanselow and Aleksander Bajt were given a very warm welcome by the Fraunhofer
AVIATION & SPACE community. Fraunhofer AVIATION & SPACE
pools the expertise of more than 30 Fraunhofer Institutes withthe aim of conducting applied research in the field of aerospace. The Fraunhofer EMFT presented a high-voltage MEMS

Frank Vanselow & Aleksander Bajt at Space Tech! Galactically
good! © Fraunhofer

30

ultrasonic multi-channel transceiver system and an SAR-ADC
high-performance data converter for RADAR systems. Yearafter year, STE provides an entirely unique presentation of
the latest technologies along with networking opportunities
and debate on current issues. Topics include: sustainability inspace, finance/investment, launches, software/digitalizationand space travel management. And remember: after the STE isbefore the STE!
More info about the research area Circuit Design

1st place in the Hugo Geiger Prize: Dr. Agnes
Bußmann
There was a big round of applause for our colleague Agnes
Bußmann on March 21, 2023: she won first place in the Hugo
Geiger Prize for her dissertation on “Biomedical application ofpiezoelectric micromembrane pumps”! Every year at Symposium Netzwert, the state of Bavaria and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft honor early-career researchers for outstanding
doctorates in applied research with the Hugo Geiger Prize for
Young Scientists! In addition to making a contribution to thehealthcare of the future, Agnes’ dissertation demonstrates
entrepreneurial thinking. What would be the best way todescribe her topic? Small is beautiful! After all, piezoelectric
micropumps are ideal for medical purposes – be it for dosing
medication for cancer and pain therapies or for supplying
insulin for diabetes. Agnes’ energetic efforts have led to thefollowing developments and advancements: a technologicalplatform that offers the possibility of flexibly combining
individual microfluidic components in different dosing units,
and metal and silicon-based micropumps that now allow
maximum flow. This shows once again how much potential

medical research holds and how valuable all our work is if it
can improve people’s health and the quality of their lives.
More info about piezoelectrically driven micropumps

Shaping the future together
There was a superb atmosphere at the Festival of the Future
which took place from July 6 to 9, 2023 in the Forum of the
Future at Deutsches Museum in Munich. It provided a unique
opportunity for people to immerse themselves in the fascinating world of generative AI. With its stand on Family Day,
Fraunhofer EMFT was able to impress visitors both young andold with the benefits of learning using Augmented Reality (AR)glasses. Whether for educational purposes, such as solderingand crimping, or for hands-on learning through applications
such as Graffiti 3D, the vast range of possibilities offered by
AR attracted a lot of attention. The High Performance Center“Secure Intelligent Systems” (LZSiS) and DressMAN were
not about to miss out on such an event on their home turfin Munich, so they too were in on the action. All in all, theFestival of the Future offered an impressive mix of workshops,
interactive exhibitions, art and performances, providing theperfect platform for visitors to broaden their knowledge andexplore innovations. After all, all of us can get involved in helping to shape the future!
More info about the LZSiS

Soldering and crimping requires a certain amount of dexterity

Our Fraunhofer EMFT team on site – it was a truly memorable© Fraunhofer EMFT / Constanze Hügl

occasion! © Fraunhofer EMFT

31

Highlights and Scientific Activities

Highlights and Scientific Activities

Best Paper & Presentation Award in Boston

Festive colloquium: Prof. Dr. Eisele’s 80th birthday

Wilfried Lerch’s team won two awards at the 243rd ECS Meeting and 18th International Symposium on Solid Oxide Fuel
Cells (SOFC-XVIII)! This international conference took placein Boston from May 28 to June 2, 2023, bringing together
scientists, engineers and researchers from academia, industry
and government laboratories with the aim of sharing results
and discussing issues. Wilfried Lerch, Simon Lang and Martin
Heigl represented Fraunhofer EMFT at the conference, taking
the opportunity to share their experience with other researchers. But what the three of them probably didn’t expect was
to be flying home with two awards! Firstly, the entire teamreceived the Best Paper Award on the topic of “Manufacturing of Nanosheets and Multilayer Nanogaps in Silicon”. And
in addition to this, Simon Lang received the Best Presentation
Award for his paper “Aluminum Josephson Junction Formation
on 200mm Wafers Using Different Oxidation Techniques”. The
trip was literally worth it twice over.

To mark Prof. Dr. Ignaz Eisele’s 80th birthday, a major festive
colloquium was held at Fraunhofer EMFT on July 14, 2023 on
the topic “At the atomic level! From microelectronics to nanoelectronics and quantum electronics”.

Bramowski, J. (2023). Bestimmung der Transfektionseffizienz nach In-Situ Elektrotransfektion von GFP-codierenden DNA Fragmenten.
Supervision: Wegener, J.
Universität Regensburg
Franz, A. (2023). Realisierung eines geregelten Mikrodosiersystems mit kapazitiver Messsensorik zur
Dosierung von ethanolhaltigen Aromastoffen.
Supervision: Thalhofer, T.
Technische Universität München
Fricke, P. (2023). Impedanz-basierte Untersuchungen zur
Zytotoxizität von Pflanzenschutzmitteln.
Supervision: Wegener, J.
Universität Regensburg

Prof. Dr. Ignaz Eisele with the keynote speakers at his colloquium © Fraunhofer EMFT / Elisa Göbel

Simon Lang receives the Best Presentation Award in Boston

Bachelor’s Degree Theses

This celebratory event was attended by work colleagues aswell as old acquaintances, friends and family. After Prof. Dr.
Jörg Schulze of Fraunhofer IISB had welcomed all the guests,
there were lots of interesting talks in honor of Prof. Dr. Eisele,
along with one or two amusing anecdotes from his “40 yearsof scientific and personal symbiosis”. Our institute Director
Prof. Dr. Amelie Hagelauer held the celebratory colloquium,also thanking the “birthday boy” for his longstanding loyalty to the institute. The icing on the cake at the end was the
special greetings card in the form of a wafer presented to him
by his team.

Rzaeva, A. (2023). Vergleichende Analyse kommerzieller
Vitalitätsassays für die Zellforschung.
Supervision: Wegener, J.
Universität Regensburg
Winter, K. (2023). Towards a platform technology toassess respiration and barrier function in epithelial cell
layers.
Supervision: Wegener, J.
Universität Regensburg

Master’s Degree Theses© Fraunhofer EMFT / Martin Heigl

Drießlein, C. (2023). Development of a Market-Compliant,
Microscopic In-Vitro Assay to Identify Anti-Oxidative
Substances.
Supervision: Wegener, J.
Universität Regensburg
Fischer, A. (2023). Carbon Nanoparticles as Multimodal
Reagent for the Determination of Cytotoxicity.
Supervision: Wegener, J.
Universität Regensburg
Friedrich, S. (2023). Development of a label-free sensor
based on insect cells for the detection of cytotoxic
effects of pesticides.
Supervision: Wegener, J.
Universität Regensburg

32

George, B. (2023). Characterization and optimization ofelectrostatic actuators for MEMS micropumps.
Supervision: Anheuer, D.
Hochschule München University of Applied Sciences
Ladani, M. J. (2023). Investigation of radiation resistanceof various silicon-based insulators in silicon by electricalcharacterization.
Supervision: Boudaden, J.
Hochschule München University of Applied Sciences
Schillinger, M. (2023). Characterizing the Relationshipbetween Pressure Loading and Skin Temperature in
Pressure Ulcer Risk Patients.
Supervision: Heinrich, F.
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Sheikhsarraf, M. (2023). Edge-AI: Self-Sensing backpressure estimation and bubble detection in piezoelectric
micropumps using machine learning methods on alimited hardware.
Supervision: Axelsson, K.
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Sirajudeen, S. (2023). Manufacturing and Characterizationof Silicon Microvalves.
Supervision: Anheuer, D.
Hochschule München University of Applied Sciences
Sotzko, L. (2023). Spiking neurons with sensor dependent
pulse frequency modulation.
Supervision: Klumpp, A.
Technische Universität München
Usman, M. (2023). Investigation of radiation resistanceof various silicon-based insulator on silicon by electricalcharacterization.
Supervision: Boudaden, J.
Hochschule München University of Applied Sciences

Doctorates
Badawi, B. (2023). Advances in Grayscale Lithography Modeling. https://athene-forschung.unibw.
de/144287?id=144287.
Henfling, M. (2023). Sensorsystem für die Gasdetektion –Prozessentwicklung und Integration neuartiger gassensitiver Photodioden auf Basis von kolorimetrischen
Sensorfarbstoffen.

33

Highlights and Scientific Activities

Talks
Breiling, M., Müller, R., Kundu, B., Leugering, J., Pscheidl, F.,…& Mateu Saez, M. L. (2023, September). Analog Deep
Learning Inference Accelerator.
Workshop Frontiers of Neuromorphic Computing 2023, Erlangen, Germany. DOI: 10.24406/publica-1909.
Ramm, P. (2023, April). Implementation of Applied R&D
and European Activities in the "Chips Act Age".
IMAPS Device Packaging Conference 2023. Fountain Hills,
Arizona, USA. DOI: 10.24406/publica-1384.

Publications
Lippmann, B., Ludwig, M., Houdeau, D., Kovac, N., & Gieser,
H. (2023, November). Towards a Comprehensive System
for Physical Hardware Inspection for Trust. IEEE Physical
Assurance and Inspection of Electronics, PAINE 2023: International Conference on Physical Assurance and Inspection ofElectronics 2023. DOI: 10.1109/PAINE58317.2023.10318020.
Luo, Z., Tsitsilin, I., Schneider, C., Dietz, M. & Hagelauer,
A. (2023). Extended Approach for Efficient Coupling
Strength Determination for Superconducting Qubit. IEEE
Quantum Week 2023. Proceedings. Vol III: Second IEEE Quantum Science and Engineering Education Conference, QSEC
2023. DOI: 10.1109/QCE57702.2023.10246.
Zhang, L., Pengcheng, X., Borggreve, D., Vanselow, F., &Brederlow, R. (2023, October). A FeFET In-Memory-Computing Core with Offset Cancellation for Mitigating
Computational Errors. In Proceedings ESSCIRC 2023, IEEE
49th European Solid State Circuits Conference. DOI: 10.1109/ESSCIRC59616.2023.10268782.
Bera, S., Fereiro, J., Saxena, S., Chryssikos, D., ...Tornow, M.,
Pecht, I., Vilan, A., Sheves, M., & Cahen, D. (2023). Near-Temperature-Independent Electron Transport Well beyond
Expected Quantum Tunneling Range via Bacteriorhodopsin Multilayers. In Journal of the American Chemical
Society. DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c09120.

Highlights and Scientific Activities

Anheuer, D., Leistner, H., George, B., Roehl, S., Richter, M., &Kutter, C. (2023, October). Modeling, Manufacturing andCharacterization of Electrostatic Actuators towards Electrostatic Silicon MEMS-Micropumps. In MikroSystemTechnik Kongress 2023. https://publica.fraunhofer.de/entities/
publication/52573467-a5c0-41b5-af3b-9a21fdf5622b/details.
Grünerbel, L., Heinrich, F., Böhlhoff-Martin, J., Röper, L., …
Wenninger, F., Richter, M., & Steinbacher, L. (2023, September). Wearable Prophylaxis Tool for AI-Driven Identification of Early Warning Patterns of Pressure Ulcers. In
Bioengineering (Vol. 10, Issue 10, Article 1125). DOI: 10.3390/
bioengineering10101125.
Basavaraju, H., Borggreve, D., Vanselow, F., Isa, E., & Maurer,
L. (2023, Juli). A 0.8-V Fully Differential Amplifier with
80-dB DC Gain and 8-GHz GBW in 22-nm FDSOI CMOS
Technology. In Proceedings ISCAS 2023, IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems. DOI: 10.1109/
ISCAS46773.2023.10181961.
Richter, M., Anheuer, D., Wille, A., Congar, Y., & Wackerle,
M. (2023, May). Multistage Micropump System towards
Vacuum Pressure. In Actuators (Vol. 12, Issue 6, Article 227)
DOI: 10.3390/act12060227.
Lang, S., Schewski, A., Eisele, I., Kutter, C., & Lerch, W. (2023,
May). Aluminum Josephson Junction Formation on
200mm Wafers Using Different Oxidation Techniques.
In Electrochemical Society (ECS Meeting) 2023, Symposium„Silicon Compatible Emerging Materials, Processes, andTechnologies for Advanced CMOS and Post-CMOS Applications“ 2023, Symposium „Advanced CMOS-Compatible
Semiconductor Devices“ 2023, Boston, Mass., USA. DOI:
10.1149/11101.0041ecst.
Gerlach, D. U., Noack, J., Bischof, K., Boulch, C. le, & Trupp, S.
(2023). Techno-Economic Optimization of Flow Batteries
Using the Optimization Potential for Prioritize Different
Optimization Possibilities. In Journal of the Electrochemical
Society. DOI: 10.1149/1945-7111/acdda0.
Shanin, N., Hagelauer, A., Cottatelluci , L., & Schober, R.
(2023, June). Optimal Energy Signal Design for Multiuser
MISO WPCNs With Non-Linear Energy Harvesting Circuits. In IEEE transactions on communications. DOI: 10.1109/
TCOMM.2023.3257379.

Lippmann, B., Ludwig, M., & Gieser, H. (2023). Generating
Trust in Hardware through Physical Inspection. In Embedded Artificial Intelligence. Devices, Embedded Systems, andIndustrial Applications.
DOI: 10.1201/9781003394440.
Boeck, J. de., Lequepeys, J.-R., & Kutter, C. (2023). EU Chips
Act Drives Pan-European Full-Stack Innovation Partner-ships. In IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference, ISSCC 2023. DOI: 10.1109/ISSCC42615.2023.10067442.
Wirth, U., Erl, J., Azzam, S., …Wegener, J., & König, B. (2023,
April). Monitoring the Reversibility of GPCR Signaling
by Combining Photochromic Ligands with Label-free
Impedance Analysis. In Angewandte Chemie, International
Edition (Vol. 62, Issue 21, Article e202215547). DOI: 10.1002/
anie.202215547.
Schwarz, J., Axelsson, K., Anheuer, D., Richter, M., ...&
Schwarze, R. (2023). An OpenFOAM solver for the extended Navier-Stokes equations. In SoftwareX (Vol. 22, Article
101378). DOI: 10.1016/j.softx.2023.101378.
Hagelauer, A., Ruby, R., Inoue, S., Plessky, V., Hashimoto, K.-Y.,…& Tag, A. (2023). From Microwave Acoustic Filters toMillimeter-Wave Operation and New Applications. In
IEEE journal of microwaves (Vol. 3, Issue 1, pp. 484 – 508).
DOI: 10.1109/JMW.2022.3226415.
Mateu Sáez, M. L., Leugering, J., Müller, R., Patil, Y. R., Mallah,M., Breiling, M., & Pscheidl, F. (2023). Tools and Methodologies for Edge-AI Mixed-Signal Inference Accelerators. In
Embedded Artificial Intelligende. Devices, Embedded Systems,
and Industrial Applications. https://publica.fraunhofer.de/entities/publication/da800c72-956a-4985-a3bd-94b5c8f46047/
details.
Kauth, A., Mildner, A.-K., Hegel, L., Wegener, J., & Ingebrandt, S. (2023). Development of Specialized Microelectrode Arrays with Local Electroporation Functionality. In Annals of biomedical Engineering. DOI: 10.1007/
s10439-023-03268-0.
Stolwijk, J. A., Wallner, S., Heider, J., Kurz, B., Pütz, L., Michaelis, S., …Wegener, J., & Schreml, S. (2023). GPR4 in the
pH-dependent migration of melanoma cells in the tumor
microenvironment. In Experimental dermatology (Vol. 32,
Issue 4, pp. 479 – 490). DOI: 10.1111/exd.14735.

Maiwald, T., Li, T., ...Dietz, M., Debaillie, B., ...& Visweswaran,
A. (2023). A Review of Integrated Systems and Components for 6G Wireless Communication in the D-Band. In
Proceedings of the IEEE. DOI: 10.1109/JPROC.2023.3240127.
Kovac, N. (2023, January). Homogenous Delayering – A key
challenge for successful reverse engineering. In Hardware Reverse Engineering Workshop 2023. DOI: 10.24406/
publica-2673.
Kovac, N., Zweifel, T., Muß, D., & Gieser, H. (2023, March).
Advanced Physical Analysis of Integrated Circuits for
Tampering Detection. In Counterfeit Electronics and Materials Symposium 2023. DOI: 10.24406/publica-2672.
Brückner, S., Kolpak, J., …Hagelauer, A., …& Vossiek, M.
(2023, October). A Wireless Joint Communication andLocalization EMG-Sensing Concept for Movement
Disorder Assessment. In IEEE journal of electromagnetics,
RF and microwaves in medicine and biology. DOI: 10.1109/
JERM.2023.3321974.
Vishwakarma, A., Fritscher, M., Hagelauer, A., & Reichenbach,M. (2023, May). An RRAM-based building block for reprogrammable non-uniform sampling ADCs. In Information
technology : it. DOI: 10.1515/itit-2023-002.
Forster, T., Mayer, M., …& Hagelauer, A. (2023, February).
Nonlinear Finite Element Calculations of Layered SAW
Resonators. In IEEE transactions on ultrasonics, ferroelectrics
and frequency control. DOI: 10.1109/TUFFC.2023.3242068.
Dorn, C., Depold, A., Lurz, F., & Hagelauer, A. (2023, February). Low-cost Software-Defined Radio System with
Deterministic RX to TX Delay Using Timestamps. In IEEE
Topical Conference on Wireless Sensors and Sensor Networks
2023. DOI: 10.1109/WiSNeT56959.2023.10046235.
Michler, F., Kolpak, J., Scheiner, B., Weigel, R., & Hagelauer,
A. (2023, January). Characterization of a Flexible Polymer-Based Substrate Material for RF Applications. In
IEEE Radio and Wireless Symposium, RWS 2023. DOI: 10.1109/
RWS55624.2023.10046309.
Hagelauer, A., & Maune, H. (2023, January). International Conference on Microwave Acoustics & Mechanics(Conference Reports). In International Conference on
Microwave Acoustics and Mechanics 2022. DOI: 10.1109/
MMM.2022.3220100.

Xu, P., Flandre, D., & Bol, D. (2023). Analysis and Design of
RF Energy-Harvesting Systems with Impedance-Aware
Rectifier Sizing. In IEEE transactions on circuits and systems 2, Express briefs (Vol. 70, Issue 2, pp. 361 – 365). DOI:
10.1109/TCSII.2022.3171470.

34

35

Highlights and Scientific Activities

Jia, R., Pechmann, S., Baroni, A., Wenger, C., & Hagelauer,
A. (2023). A RRAM Characterization System with Flexible Readout Operations using an Integrating ADC. In
PRIME 2023, 18th International Conference on PhD Researchin Microelectronics and Electronics. Conference Proceedings.
DOI: 10.1109/PRIME58259.2023.10161880.
Dorn, C., Depold, A., Kurin, T., Lurz, F., & Hagelauer, A. (2023).
Low-Power Smart Selective LTE Jammer for Search andRescue Applications using Software-Defined Radio. In
IEEE Wireless and Microwave Technology Conference, WAMICON 2023. DOI: 10.1109/WAMICON57636.2023.10124912.
Hagelauer, A., Ruby, R., Inoue, S., …& Tag, A. (2023). From
Microwave Acoustic Filters to Millimeter-Wave Operation and New Applications. In IEEE journal of microwaves.
DOI: 10.1109/JMW.2022.3226415.
Debaillie, B., Brunier, F., Morche, D., Isa, E. N., & Craninckx, J.
(2023). Technologies Enabling Future Mobile Connectivity & Sensing. River Publishers, ISBN-10: 8770040745, ISBN13: 978-8770040747.
Prouvée, J., Mangraviti, G., Debaillie, B., Wambacq. P., Borggreve, D., …& Morche, D. (2023). Digital Beamforming
Transceiver Design in 22 nm FD-SOI Technology for 39
GHz 5G Access. In Technologies Enabling Future Mobile Connectivity and Sensing, pp. 31-56.
Tanaka, T., Fukushima, T., Landesberger, C., & Ramm, P. (2023,
September). Flexible Hybrid Electronics with 3DIC. In IEEEEPS Newsletter September 2023. https://eps.ieee.org/publications/enews/september-2023/1050-flexible-hybrid-electronics-with-3dic.html?highlight=WyJlbmV3cyIsMjAyM10=.
Carlowitz, C. & Dietz, M. (2023, August). Integrated FrontEnd Approaches for Wireless 100 Gb/s and Beyond:
Enabling Efficient Ultra-High Speed Wireless Communication Systems. In IEEE Microwave Magazine, vol. 24, no. 8,
pp. 16-34, Aug. 2023. DOI: 10.1109/MMM.2023.3277360.

Patents
Heigl, M., Bui-Tran, T. X. A., Merkel, K-H.
Verfahren zum Herstellen eines dreidimensionalintegrierten Halbleiterspeichers
EP4152395 A1
Kibler, S., Leistner, H., Neumeier, K., Thalhofer, T., Axelsson, K.,
Anheuer, D., Richter, M., Häfner, J., Durasiewicz, C.-P., Wald,
C., Bußmann, A., Grünerbel, L.
Konzept zum Ermitteln äusserer Einflussfaktoren basierend auf dem Ansteuersignal eines
Mikrofluid-Bauelements
DE102021214091 A1
Kutter, C.
Verfahren zum Erzeugen von vertikalen Kanalstrukturen
in dreidimensional integrierten Halbleiterspeichern
EP 4 152 394
Dumler, D., Wenninger, F., Gerner, W., Gossner, H.
Eine Vorrichtung und ein Verfahren zum Erkennen eines
Zustands einer Fahrbahnoberfläche
DE 10 2022 201 522.3
Dumler, D., Wenninger, F., Kutter, C.
Eine Kamera zur Erkennung von Gefahren im
Straßenverkehr mit gesteigerter Wahrnehmung fürWasser auf Straßenoberflächen
DE 10 2022 201 523
Yacoub-George, E.
Verfahren zum Herstellen elektrisch leitfähiger
Strukturen
DE 10 2021 126 402.2
Ramm, P., Weber, J., Klumpp, A.
Kryo-kompatible Quanten-Computing-Anordnung
und Verfahren zum Herstellen einer kryo-kompatiblen
Quanten-Computing-Anwendung
EP 4131086

Scientific Publications

www.emft.fraunhofer.de/
publications

Colorimetric multi-gas sensor © Fraunhofer EMFT / Bernd Müller

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Fraunhofer Innovation Platform for Sensors
and Applied Systems at Tel Aviv University

News from the Network—

Network
Fraunhofer EMFT is not just an expert partner when it comesto microsystems and sensor technology, it is able to open
doors for you to a highly relevant network, too.
First of all, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft itself deserves tobe mentioned: a Germany-wide but also international
network of applied research covering a truly enormous
variety of fields.
More info about the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
In addition, as a member of Research Fab Microelectronics Germany (FMD) – the largest cross-location R&D
alliance for microelectronics in Europe – Fraunhofer EMFT
has access to a unique range of expertise and infrastructurein the field of microelectronics and nanoelectronics.
More info about the FMD
Meanwhile, the High Performance Center “SecureIntelligent Systems" (LZSiS) clusters interdisciplinary
expertise and wide-ranging know-how on the topic“Secure from the sensor to the cloud” and makes thisknowledge available specifically to companies.
More info about the LZSiSAt the Trusted Electronics Center Bavaria, Bavaria-based
Fraunhofer Institutes work together to enable or simplify
access to trusted technologies in the form of secure andprotected hardware and software components for industrial
companies.
At the Fraunhofer Center for Biogenic Value Creationand Smart Farming, five Fraunhofer Institutes, among
them Fraunhofer EMFT, are jointly developing innovativetechnologies for the agriculture of the future. The focus ison the goal of making agriculture more sustainable while atthe same time ensuring the future viability and resilience ofthe food supply.
More info about the Fraunhofer Center BWSF

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The Bavarian Chip Design Center (BCDC) has set itself
the goal of further expanding chip design expertise in
Bavaria and providing easier access to chip design and its
supply chains for companies, in particular start-ups andsmall and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Together withfive Bavarian colleges and universities, the three participating Fraunhofer Institutes AISEC, EMFT, and IIS are aiming todevelop the BCDC into a leading competence center forchip design in Bavaria.
More info about the BCDC
As a research and development platform for renowned
Bavarian research organizations and universities, Munich
Quantum Valley e.V. promotes quantum science andquantum technologies and their transfer to industrial
applications. One key objective is to develop and operate acompetitive quantum computer in Bavaria.
More info about MQVAt the research unit FIP-Sens@TAU, researchers at
Fraunhofer EMFT and Tel Aviv University are working on
interdisciplinary developments in the field of sensor
technology. The focus is on applied solutions in the fields ofagriculture, security applications and environmental
monitoring where there are very good marketing opportunities.
More info about FIP-Sens@TAU
Fraunhofer EMFT’s strong links with universities andother higher education institutions secure the foundation for research and development, in turn providing theprerequisite for innovation – namely: basic research andearly-career talent. This combination often produces ideasthat either originate from basic research or can be validated
by it.
More info at emft.fraunhofer.de/
university-cooperations

Since the end of June 2022, Fraunhofer EMFT
and Tel Aviv University (TAU) have been running the new Fraunhofer Innovation Platform
for Sensors and Applied Systems at Tel Aviv
University (FIP-SENS@TAU). This research
unit conducts top-level multidisciplinary andinterdisciplinary research and developmentin the field of sensor technology. The aim
is to advance the technology transfer for
sensor systems so as to become established
as a globally recognized solution provider forcustomers in the private sector and industry as
well as serving academic and public research
institutions.
The collaboration has been successful to date.
Among other things, projects were initiatedwith several SMEs and an exchange program
involving students was launched. Fraunhofer
EMFT doctoral student Sonja Hoffmann spent
three months working at Tel Aviv University.
“At Tel Aviv University I was able to work on
an interdisciplinary team with researchers
from the fields of biology and electrical engineering. We focused on developing electrochemical biosensors to monitor the healthstatus of plants. There was a great working
atmosphere and it was a very positive experience” says Sonja of the time she spent there.

Dr. Sabine Trupp, FIP Managing Director,
Fraunhofer EMFT, with Prof. Noam Eliaz, Deanof the Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University © Chen Galili

We are happy to be involved in this shared
mission and enjoy a strong bond to carry us
through these challenging times. Our teamalways finds ways to keep our collaboration
going despite difficult circumstances.
FIP-SENS@TAU is co-chaired by Prof. Yossi
Rosenwaks (FIP Managing Director, TAU) andDr. Habil. Sabine Trupp (FIP Managing Director, Fraunhofer EMFT), Prof. Slava Krylov (FIP
Technical Director, TAU) and Christian Wald
(FIP Technical Director, Fraunhofer EMFT).

In 2023, FIP-SENS@TAU won the first joint EU
project under the Horizon Europe program.
Involving partners from several European
countries and Israel, the consortium has successfully started work on the security project
UnderSec (Underwater Security).

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Network

Network

Center for Interconnection Technologies

Experts at Fraunhofer EMFT’s Center forInterconnection Technologies (ZVE) in
Oberpfaffenhofen have been teachingessential know-how relating to electricalconnection technology for more than 40
years. The focus here is on professional
development for QS coordinators, skilled
specialists and manual workers.

Even in times of Industry 4.0, good manual
work is still very much in demand. Soldering, press-fit and crimping continue to be an
integral part of connection technology forelectronic modules: these methods guarantee
a high level of quality and reliability. With
more than 40 years of experience, the ZVE
has become well established as a center for
training and professional development.

ESA training: hand soldering a component using infrared assistance on a space travel hand soldering course© Fraunhofer EMFT / Bernd Müller

The modern training concept used by theteam in Oberpfaffenhofen is based on thefact that it is virtually impossible to separate
learning from practice in the modern working
environment. The “knowledge worker” is now
long-established at conventional production
plants, too: ongoing professional development
is required in order to keep up with the stateof the art. In order to integrate teaching in
day-to-day work in an effective and practicallyoriented manner, the ZVE training concept
supplements conventional seminars with flexible formats such as webinars, as well as providing apps that make information accessible
according to specific needs. iAcademy learning apps produced by the Fraunhofer Academy are used for seminar preparation and follow-up. The spectrum of course topics ranges
from production technologies and information
on installation and production through toretouching, repair and maintenance procedures. The knowledge imparted is fed directlyfrom current R&D activities dedicated to the
production of electronic assemblies and electrical-mechanical connection techniques (suchas screws, plugging, press-fitting, insulation
displacement connections and many more)
into the training curriculum.

Continuing education and training to the very highest
standards
The ZVE is accredited as an initial training and instruction centerfor highly reliable solder and crimp connections by both the European Space Agency ESA (cf. ESA STR-258 “ESA-APPROVED SKILLSTRAINING SCHOOLS”) and the Association Connecting Electronics
Industries IPC.
In 2019, the training center team passed its regular audit as an
ESA-accredited training center with flying colors. Two of the ZVE
trainers are certified as Category I instructors – the highest levelaccording to ESA criteria.
The ZVE is part of the modular training system of the soldering
training association "Ausbildungsverbund Löttechnik Elektronik"(AVLE) and offers vocational training for soldering specialists.
All training courses offered by the ZVE are delivered by trainers
who hold the IPC-recognized qualification as Master Trainer.

More info

www.zve-kurse.de

In addition to courses and training programs,
the ZVE also offers process qualification,
process audits and damage analytics. The
equipment available for this purpose includes
a 2D and CT x-ray system, a scanning electron
microscope, temperature change and climate
test consoles, test rigs for assessing fretting
corrosion, high-current loading for cableharnesses and a well-equipped metallographylab. Longstanding contacts with the automotive and aerospace industries mean thatthe qualification of electronic modules undertough environmental conditions is one of the
training center’s core areas of expertise.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, targeted
hygiene concepts and online training enabled
us to successfully continue our training inall essential areas. With the newly designed
soldering mobile, it was even possible toconduct remotely monitored practical training:
The fully equipped Mobile Learning Hub is put
into operation at the customer’s premises via
a standard 220V socket.

40

The trainer’s live presentation can be synchronized with the user’s own exercise
session, while four observation cameras
even enable “eye contact” from different
positions. Together with external partners, aforward-looking process was also developed
at the High Performance Center “SecureIntelligent Systems” to make further training
even more practically based using holo-lenses
and Augmented Reality (AR). This significantly
improved participants’ learning success.
The ZVE’s R&D activities are very much geared
towards the Internet of Things (IoT): this isbecause in networked environments, connectivity and the reliability of the electronicinterfaces are an absolute must – especiallyin safety-sensitive areas such as autonomous
driving.

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Network

Network

High Performance Center“Secure Intelligent Systems”

The High Performance Center “Secure Intelligent Systems” (LZSiS) offers an excellent
infrastructure, training concepts and knowhow that can be used across organizations. It
brings together suitable partners and supports
ideas as an innovation guide all the way to themarket.
In 2023 the LZSiS went through some fundamental changes, in particular shifting its
strategic alignment: the number of Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Institutes and academic
partners has been reduced, while more
projects have been identified in the field ofoccupational health and safety in addition to
those already established.
The LZSiS is now made up of five Fraunhofer
Institutes based in the greater Munich area,
along with national and international academic partners. This combines research andindustry expertise from the fields of electronic
microsystems (Fraunhofer EMFT), building
physics (Fraunhofer IBP), foundry (Fraunhofer
IGCV), Artificial Intelligence (AI; Fraunhofer
IKS), food and packaging (Fraunhofer IVV),
along with the expertise of the Fraunhofer
Agriculture and Food Industry Alliance.
National partners on the academic side are
the Technical University of Munich and the
University of the Federal Armed Forces in
Munich, while the LZSiS is also well established internationally through TNO in the
Netherlands and Tel Aviv University in Israel.
This wide-ranging and outstanding industry expertise provides a stable basis for thefocus projects selected by LZSiS in the areaof occupational health and safety. The rapidly
increasing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and

Mobile Learning Hub at the Munich Science
Days 2023© Fraunhofer EMFT / Elisa Göbel

automated processes in industry combinedwith ever-increasing consumption means thatnew solutions and standards are needed for
occupational health and safety.
For example, LZSiS is developing technologies to ensure safe human-machine work inindustry and detect harmful substances infast-moving consumer goods. Since cooperation between the participating institutes isgeared towards specific topics, the innovativetechnologies are quickly applied in practice.
The LZSiS has set itself the goal of acting as
a one-stop shop for industry clients, offering solutions while at the same time raisingawareness in society at large of the current
gaps in occupational health and safety. Thisis achieved through a variety of different
measures.

Events in 2023

Mobile Learning Hub

In line with the new strategic alignment in thearea of occupational health and safety, theside event at the Munich Safety Conference(MSC) in February 2023 was the start signal
for numerous follow-up events. At the MSC
side event, the LZSiS was joined by the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy and the Consulate
General of the State of Israel and engaged indebate on the subject of the importance offood security in developing countries. There
was discussion of how Bavaria and Israel canmake use of their advanced food technologies and intelligent agricultural solutions to
support developing countries in overcoming
the food security problem. This was followedby the monthly Food Security webinar series
established by LZSiS, participation in the Food
Sec&Tech trade fair in Israel, and the threeday international Food Tech & AI conference
organized by LZSiS in Kulmbach in October.
This series of events strengthened the LZSiS
network, providing space for dialog so as tocreate joint synergies in the LZSiS projects.

The Mobile Learning Hub (MLH) is moving onto the next stage! As a result of the progressive advancements it has achieved to date, theproject under the direction of Dr.-Ing. Frank
Ansorge and his team was chosen as thetransfer highlight of the LZSiS!

In addition, a joint careers day was held forthe first time involving all five LZSiS Institutes:
here, STEM students were able to gain firsthand insights into the institutes’ future-oriented technologies.

The MLH is a mobile workstation that enables
face-to-face teaching regardless of the learner’s location. Augmented Reality (AR) is used
to ensure that trainers are always available
virtually.
This year the team attended numerous eventsseesuch as the Munich Science Days (page 16), the Festival of the Future (see page 31), the Bavarian Business Night(Bayerische Wirtschaftsnacht), the VR Days,and EuroXR in Rotterdam. The MLH wasdemonstrated at these events and direct
feedback was collected from the numerous
visitors. Thanks to the valuable feedback fromthe population at large, the team is alreadystarting the first three-month pilot phase of
the system with four industry clients in Q1
2024!
Based on the original concept of purely mobile
soldering training, the range of services has
since been expanded: together with Fraunhofer IGCV from the LZSiS, remote training
courses are now planned for the foundry
industry.
We are proud of the team, their hard work,and their successful participation in the
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft’s AHEAD and IMPULS
programs! A big round of applause for them!

LZSiS at the Munich Security Conference inMore info about LZSiS

February 2023

For instance, an LZSiS project team made up
of scientific staff from the five LZSiS Institutes
is currently working on the development ofa fully automated container solution for theoccupational safety of foundry employees.

© Fraunhofer EMFT / Bernd Müller

www.lz-sis.de/en

The LZSiS project EXPERTISE at DISTANCE at
the Immersive Tech Week in Rotterdam
© TNO

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Network

3D showroom of the Research Fab Microelectronics Germany (FMD) © FMD

Increased sustainability in digitalization through microelectronics research and development for
information and communication
technology

best possible support in developing customized microelectronics and scalable manufacturing and integration processes for the newcomputing technologies.

By initiating the funding project Green ICT@ FMD in autumn 2022, the FMD and theFederal Ministry of Education and Research
moved one step further towards implementing the German government’s climate action
program. The institutes involved in the GreenICT @ FMD project are creating a cross-sitecompetence center for resource-conscious
information and communication technology(ICT) under the management of the FMD
head office. Green ICT-specific issues can beclustered here, enabling cross-technology ICT
solutions to be offered from a single source.

European Chips Act: FMD pilot line
for Advanced Heterogeneous System
Integration

FMD as a "One-Stop Shop"for Micro and Nanoelectronics

Securing skilled labor, attracting
young talent, supporting start-ups
and SMEs

The project Green ICT @ FMD focuses on sustainability in microelectronics.
© FMD

Fraunhofer EMFT is one of 14 institutes
that have been cooperating within the
Research Fab Microelectronics Germany(FMD) since 2017. The FMD addresses
current and future challenges in electronics research across different sites andtechnologies, providing key development
stimuli for the technology of the future.
Some 4,600 employees from the various
institutes contribute their expertise in
the field of research and development of
microsystems and nanosystems.
The FMD pools the expertise of the eleven
Fraunhofer Institutes in the Group for Microelectronics, the Ferdinand-Braun-Institut/Leibniz-Institut für Höchstfrequenztechnik (FBH),
and the Leibniz Institute for High Performance
Microelectronics (IHP) under one virtual roof.

44

This makes the FMD a central point of contact
for all issues relating to micro- and nanoelectronics in Germany and Europe.
In addition to its technological offerings in
the research areas of sensor systems, powerelectronics, MEMS actuators, microwave andterahertz, extended CMOS, chip and chiplet
design, optoelectronic systems and multi-project technologies, the FMD also offers various
opportunities for cooperation in addressing
research issues in the priority areas of resource
efficiency, next-generation computing, security, mobility, production and communication.

As a contribution to the European Chips Act,
the Research Fab Microelectronics Germany
will establish the most comprehensive andadvanced pilot line for chip integration withthe aim of creating innovative, robust andtrustworthy heterogeneous systems in the
coming years. The pilot line comprises anunprecedented range of component technologies and materials, enabled by top-classsystem design, connection and assembly techniques as well as characterization, testing andthe assessment of reliability and security. The
pilot line for Advanced Heterogeneous System
Integration will promote the innovative capacity of European industry in its full breadth.

Supporting hardware developments
for next-generation computing
There are currently numerous fundamental
research projects in Germany that are focusedon quantum and neuromorphic computing.
However, there are still insufficient opportunities for the development and application-oriented testing of the hardware required forthe highly complex computing technologies
and for the rapid implementation of results inprototypes and small series. This is precisely
where the project “Research Fab Microelectronics Germany – Module Quantum and Neuromorphic Computing (FMD-QNC)” comes in,launched on December 1, 2022. The aim is toprovide researchers and companies with the

In addition to its technological offerings, a
range of different cooperation opportunities
and the coordination of large-scale consortium projects, the FMD also offers formats
and funding programs for students, young
professionals, start-ups, SMEs and researchgroups.
In 2023, for example, the first Green ICTAward was presented: a study prize awarded in connection with the Green ICT @FMD competence center, it recognizes
outstanding bachelor’s and master’s theses
on resource-saving information and communication technology. 2024 will also see thelaunch of the first Green ICT Camp, a oneweek student academy designed to promoteinspiration, awareness-raising and networking
among students in the field of sustainablemicroelectronics.

More info about the
FMD

www.forschungsfabrik-mikroelektronik.de/en

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Awakening Curiosity – Exploring Research—Premiere at herCAREER Expo 2023:
two days packed full of women’s
power, career opportunities andinspiration!

Young Talents as the
Key to Innovative Strength

In October 2023, Fraunhofer EMFT was aproud member of a successful team which
also included five other Fraunhofer Institutes(UMSICHT, ISE, IPA, ITWM and IBP Holzkirchen) and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, taking
part in the herCAREER Expo at the MOC trade
fair center in Munich for the first time.

At Fraunhofer EMFT, promoting young talents
is more than just a task – it’s something we’rereally passionate about! With fresh ideas,
new perspectives and innovative approaches,
young talents enriches our research projects and makes a significant contribution
to the development of new technologies
and products. By offering gifted youngsters
targeted support and the space to contribute
their creativity and expertise, we ensure that
we remain at the forefront of technologicaldevelopment.

Schoolgirls in the Flex lab at Girls’ Day© Fraunhofer EMFT / Elisa Göbel

In 2023, we were once again full of enthusiasm for promoting up-and-coming talent
in the research area of microelectronics andmicrosystems technology. With our various
initiatives such as Girls’ Day, visits by school
students and career days, we create a platform where school and university students cangain inspiration as they discover their skills andinterests in this research area. All in all, youth46

development offers talented young people a
key benefit by giving them the opportunity todevelop their potential, advance their careerand develop on a personal level. It lays thefoundation for their career success and supports them in achieving their goals.

position ourselves for future opportunities and challenges, and also establish
valuable contacts.”
Jennifer Salagean,
Personnel Development, Fraunhofer EMFT

Our conclusion:
Participating in the two-day fair gave us an
ideal possibility to demonstrate our commitment to promoting women in STEM (Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)
professions and meet potential talents.

”

herCAREER is a careers fair for
women that addresses all aspectsof female career planning – fromfurther training opportunities, startups and entrepreneurship throughto the compatibility of job andfamily.”Girls’ Day 2023

Career talks at herCareer© Fraunhofer EMFT / Klaudija Rodjak

Girls’ Day was once again held at Fraunhofer
EMFT this year, giving young girls an insight
into the world of microelectronics. Together
with our employee Sabine Scherbaum, thegroup embarked on an intriguing journey
through the lifecycle of a smartphone – andlearned a lot in the process. The participants
were surprised to find out just how big theecological footprint of a smartphone is, especially in comparison to that of a meat cutlet.
From production through to use and disposal,
there are numerous factors that influence theecological footprint.
The event was a great opportunity to raise
participants’ awareness of environmental
issues while at the same time expanding
their knowledge of science and technology.
With an exclusive tour of the cleanroom andlaboratories, the event was not only unforgettable, it was also an enriching experience forparticipants in terms of their future careers inthese areas.

It was inspiring to see how many women
dropped by the Fraunhofer team’s joint standto enthusiastically explore our work areas,
career opportunities and corporate culture at
Fraunhofer EMFT.
Visitors to the Expo were extremely diverse,
including female students, graduates andscientists as well as women in administrative
jobs: they all asked very concrete questions
about the Fraunhofer Institutes’ specific areasof expertise. Some visitors wasted no timeand even brought their application documents along with them. The Fraunhofer site in
Munich in particular attracted a great deal ofinterest.
“My (networking) highlight at the fair
was the herCAREER@Night on the firstevening, where I was able to engage infascinating conversations with inspiring
table captains and personalities fromvarious fields. The event provided an
excellent chance to expand our network,

Schoolgirls investigate the carbon
footprint of cell phones
In July we received a visit from a group of Year
8 pupils from the secondary school Samuel-Heinicke-Realschule at the Augustinum in
Munich. They joined us in taking a close lookat the fascinating topic of the carbon footprintof smartphones.
The group of students was astonished to findout that despite weighing just 80 grams, cell
phones have an enormous ecological footprintof 75.3 kg. The talk by colleagues Sabine
Scherbaum and Jennifer Goldbrunner on “Thelifecycle of a smartphone” met with greatinterest, as demonstrated by the numerous questions asked. It emerged just how
important the manufacture, use and disposalof smartphones are as the main sources of
CO2 emissions, not to mention the extractionof raw materials involved in their production.
The talk was followed by an exclusive tour ofFraunhofer EMFT. Participants were able totake a look at the cleanroom and gray room47

Youth Development

and experience first-hand how state-of-theart technologies and innovative research are
put to use in practice.
The visit took place in connection with theschool’s participation in the “E-Waste-Race”,
which involves a total of ten Munich schools
being informed about recycling and upcycling.
The aim of the campaign is to encourage
young people to focus more on environmental
awareness and sustainable action.

perception – from the nose to the sensor(system)”, presented by Doris Schicker andMaximilian Köhne of Fraunhofer IVV. Participants not only found out about the basics ofodor perception but also how these findings
are incorporated in the development andapplication of odor sensors and systems. Thiswas definitely an inspiring experience thatbroadened their understanding of the links
between people and technology. In addition
to learning about future-oriented technologies, participants also had the possibility to
ask questions and engage in dialog with ourscientists. The subsequent get-together was
the perfect end to an eventful day. It was aunique chance to make new contacts, findout about career options at Fraunhofer andnetwork in a relaxed atmosphere.

A peak behind the scenes of the technology© Fraunhofer EMFT / Elisa Göbel

Change Starts with Us—

Careers at Fraunhofer EMFT
Maxime-Jean Chaudon, research assistant, Flexible Systems
I’ve been a research assistant in the Flexible Systems department at Fraunhofer
EMFT since March 1, 2023. Here I work as an integrator and designer of flexible
electronic systems. The aim is to design complex electronic systems and thentransfer them to flexible substrates. Applications for this type of system areextremely diverse, ranging from healthcare to aviation. I’m very lucky to be on
an extremely capable international team where great importance is attached
to team spirit and helping each other. My colleagues are always available andsupportive, which is something I very much appreciate. I also get to participate
in exciting projects with major industry players and European research projects
involving large numbers of partners.

Fraunhofer Career Day
In November, the time finally came for the
Fraunhofer Career Day – organized by Priyanka Nayar of LZSiS! 25 bachelor’s and master’s degree students and graduates from various disciplines and universities in and around
Munich were given the unique opportunity totake a look at the practical research conducted at the five Fraunhofer Institutes involvedin the LZSiS (EMFT, IBP, IGCW, IKS, IVV). The
event took place at smartVillage Schwanthaler Höhe, an innovative event location in theheart of Munich which provided the perfectsetting for this inspiring and informative event.
The students showed great interest and were
enthusiastic about the opportunity to get afirst-hand impression of the research being
done at the Fraunhofer Institutes. One absolute highlight was the interactive workshop
on odor sensory analysis entitled “Olfactory48

An inspiring workshop given by researchers
from Fraunhofer IVV© Fraunhofer EMFT / Klaudija Rodjak

Sonja Hoffmann, research assistant and doctoral candidate,Sensor Materials

Our Fraunhofer EMFT team was on hand toanswer questions at the career day© Fraunhofer EMFT / Klaudija Rodjak

I’ve been a research assistant in the Sensor Materials research unit at Fraunhofer EMFT since March 2021. In my working group I do research into functional sensor materials that are capable of detecting different chemical substances.
These sensor materials change their chemical or physical properties as soon
as they come into contact with the substances that are to be detected. Asa chemist it’s my job to integrate these sensor materials into semiconductor
components so as to develop new types of chemical sensors. Among otherthings, my work helps enable early detection of substances that are hazardous
for people and the environment, for example, or support agriculture on its path
to digitalization by developing intelligent sensors. I particularly like the fact that
I get to be involved in so many fascinating projects. My work is highly varied
and interdisciplinary, while the working atmosphere in my team is excellent,with friendly and supportive colleagues. My next career goal is to complete mydoctorate. This will give me the opportunity to pursue my own research projectand explore my personal interests.

49

Careers at Fraunhofer EMFT

Careers at Fraunhofer EMFT

Elias Meltzer, research assistant and doctoral candidate, Interconnect Systems
I’ve been working as a research assistant at Fraunhofer EMFT in Oberpfaffenhofen
since March 2021. This position enables me to get involved in various pioneering
projects. In connection with Munich Quantum Valley, I contribute significantly todesigning the architecture of future quantum computers. I’m part of an interdisciplinary team of experts at Fraunhofer EMFT which develops superconducting cablesystems to control and read out qubits. The main challenges we face include not
only meeting the rigorous requirements for signal transmission but also taking into
account the fact that materials respond differently at extremely low temperatures
close to absolute zero. Completely different rules really do apply as compared
to applications at room temperature. For example, we use special materials that
become superconducting at very low temperatures all at once, and suddenly show
no electrical resistance.
As a research assistant, my day-to-day work is very diverse. Since I work on a wide
range of different topics and collaborate closely with different departments, I learnsomething new every day. We often pass this knowledge on directly to our training course participants in Oberpfaffenhofen, and this often gives rise to exciting
new projects and perspectives. My next personal goal is to obtain a doctorate.

Luca Rommeis, student assistant, Silicon Devices/Deposition
Processes
I’ve been working as a research assistant in the field of quantum technology
since October 2023. My job is to apply thin layers of titanium nitride or aluminum to a wafer and carry out analyses. I either determine the thickness of thelayers using an ellipsometer, analyze the specific resistance using a four-probe
device, or measure the surface roughness with an atomic force microscope.
This provides a basis for making precise decisions as to how proceed next. The
entire process takes place in a cleanroom to avoid particles on the wafers andalso to ensure the quality of the chips. Once all the deposition processes havebeen completed, the wafer is cut into pieces known as chips. In quantum technology, these chips have to be cooled in order to obtain a functioning quantum
circuit.
The work at Fraunhofer EMFT is highly varied and I enjoy working in my team.
The other student employees are very friendly, too, and the atmosphereis always very positive. It’s incredibly fascinating to work in an area of cutting-edge technology where progress is never-ending. There’s always something new to discover and do – that’s definitely my personal highlight. My next
goal is to complete my master’s degree in electrical engineering, which I will
start in 2024.

Fatima-Zahra Jeddari, intern in the administration

Matilde Cerbai, research assistant, Circuit Design

I am currently doing my internship in the administration at Fraunhofer EMFT.
I’ve been supporting the administration team since August 28, 2023, expanding my practical skills to prepare for my upcoming training as an office management assistant. My work includes purchasing and processing orders. In HR, I
help prepare contracts for student assistants and compile the onboarding folder
for new employees. I also enter sick notes in SAP and do bookkeeping assignments. The administrative team gave me a warm reception right from the start,
and I really appreciate the fact that I’m able to benefit from my colleagues’
experience and expertise to build on my skills and develop professionally. One
thing I particularly like is that I can consistently rely on my team members:
they’re always on hand to help me if any questions or challenges come up. The
next thing I plan to do is complete my training next year and then go on tocomplete further education as a business administrator.

I’ve been working as a research assistant on the Circuit Design team at Fraunhofer EMFT since May 2023. I’ve completed both my bachelor’s and master’s
degree in electrical engineering, specializing mainly in digital electronic systems
in my master’s program. At the institute I work on the design of complex digitalarchitectures, both at system level and at the level of integrated microsystems.
Here I’m involved in the entire digital flow, starting with the description of the
hardware and the physical design through to the realization of the design on
silicon.
What I particularly like about my work is the opportunity to develop creative
solutions to meet the requirements and specifications of the projects I’m
involved in. I also have the possibility to expand my knowledge in a range ofdifferent areas – in my particular case not only in digital design as such but also
exploring the mixed-signal area. This opens up new perspectives and allows me
to broaden my horizons as I become familiar with different technologies andsystems. In addition, there’s a very satisfying, dynamic working atmospherehere.
My next career goal is to continuously expand my expertise and gain moreexperience. I’d also like to successfully implement my designs in projects ofdifferent kinds, especially with regard to the technology used.

50

51

Research Hand in Hand with
Sustainability

Climate action:
Integrate state-of-the-art burner/scrubber systems to reduce
air pollutant emissions in cleanroom operation
Prioritize business trips by rail to reduce emissions
Use electric mobility for unavoidable journeys where theinstitute car is required

Sustainable research projects at Fraunhofer EMFT
Conservation of resources:
Promote digital filing and a paperless office in day-to-day
work
Call on all employees to print out documents only whenrequired
Use recycled paper in all printers

Our sustainability philosophy
For us at the institute, sustainability is not just a buzzword: it’s
an issue that we feel passionate about. The challenges resulting from climate change are omnipresent, and they very much
impact on research and development, too. As an institute forapplied research, we have a particular responsibility when it
comes to sustainability and environmental protection. We arecommitted to the development and implementation of innovative technologies that offer resource-efficient and sustainable
solutions.
Our institute has set itself the strategic goal of securing technological sovereignty in Germany and Europe, and we seek
to achieve this by developing innovative and forward-looking
technologies that we implement in applications. We work
closely with partners in industry and research and are involved
in initiatives such as the BCA network.
Our employees also engage closely with the topic of sustainability, consistently endeavoring to integrate the ecological,
economic and social aspects of sustainability in our everyday
operations at the institute as well as making incorporatingthem in our research and development topics – with the aim ofincreasing sustainability on a day-to-day basis.

Responsible research
In terms of the sustainability measures applied in the institute’s
operations, we focus on energy efficiency, climate action
and the conservation of resources. We have already undertaken initial optimizations in the management of our buildings,
cleanrooms, laboratories and offices and will continue totake measures to ensure energy efficiency, climate action andresource conservation. In addition, our strategic construction
projects are consistently geared towards sustainability.
Through our research projects we pursue innovative ideas thatmake a positive contribution to society and the environment.

52

the Jobticket scheme; we also recommend the use of public
transportation. We seek to encourage our employees to makeenvironmentally conscious decisions while at the same time
reducing their carbon footprint.

This is precisely the objective we have in mind when we selectand define our strategic research topics. These include thedevelopment of new technologies and solutions for sustainableagriculture, climate-friendly production processes in microelectronics and innovative solutions for affordable medical care in
the future.

Fraunhofer EMFT participates in funding projects that arededicated to sustainability-related topics, e.g. the BMBF’s
Future Strategy for Research and Innovation and in connection
with regional funding initiatives. In this way we contribute tostrengthening sustainability at both the national and international level. We take sustainability aspects into account whensubmitting funding proposals and also in connection withprocurement processes and collaborative ventures with industrial partners so as to make their production processes moresustainable.
Our sustainability-related projects: FAMOSOS, SUE, Sustainable
medical devices, TEMPO project and much more.

In terms of our research activities, we have defined specificmeasurable targets and initial measures for these strategic
topics that ensure sustainable action.

How we intend to achieve the sustainability goals
in running the instituteWe have set ourselves the goal of reducing our carbon
footprint and making a contribution to climate action. Our
cleanrooms and laboratories account for most of our energy
consumption, so this is where most of our CO2 emissions areproduced, too. For this reason we have decided to focus ourefforts on reducing energy consumption in this area, introducing a number of different measures to achieve this goal.
Reduction of energy consumption in cleanrooms andlaboratories:
Process optimization
Load-adjusted ventilation systems
Reduced energy consumption during off-peak times (weekends, at night)
Reduction in energy consumption overall:
Convert to LED lighting
Develop an energy monitoring infrastructure
Switch from stand-alone PCs to energy-saving laptops
Purchase electricity produced from renewable sources
Use energy-efficient appliances
Reduce office energy consumption through mobile working
Train our employees in the use of energy in their daily work

Sensors optimize the power consumption of the systems, ensuring efficient energy use in the cleanroom© Fraunhofer EMFT / Bernd Müller

Waste management:
Sustainable standards and resource-conserving /waste-avoiding solutions in all areas of our research anddevelopment
Expand the waste separation and disposal process to shift
towards procurement so as to avoid unnecessary disposal based on targeted, demand-oriented procurement ofmaterials

Like many Fraunhofer EMFT colleagues, institute Director Christoph Kutter cycles to work
© Fraunhofer EMFT / Sansare Puneet

Employee satisfaction as an indicator of social sustainability:
Employee satisfaction is important to us. Regular surveys
provide valuable feedback, enabling working conditions to be
improved on an ongoing basis. Measures such as customized
coaching and training are part of the modern working world
and contribute to greater work motivation, as does mobile
working.

More infowww.emft.fraunhofer.de//sustainability-emft

Sustainable mobility:
We promote environment-friendly mobility at Fraunhofer
EMFT through offerings such as an institute-owned bike and53

Contact

Flexible Systems

Flexible Systems

Christof Landesberger
Tel.: +49 89 54759-295
Christof.Landesberger@
emft.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer Institute for Electronic Microsystems andSolid State Technologies EMFT

Silicon Technologies & Devices

Hansastrasse 27d
80686 München

Tel.: +49 89 54759-0
Fax: +49 89 54759-100

Directors

Micropumps

Prof. Dr. Christoph Kutter
Tel.: +49 89 54759-500
Christoph.Kutter@
emft.fraunhofer.deManagement

Business Development

Dr. Karin Bauer
Tel.: +49 89 54759-223
Karin.Bauer@
emft.fraunhofer.de

54

Pirjo Larima-Bellinghoven
Tel.: +49 89 54759-542
Pirjo.Larima-Bellinghoven@emft.fraunhofer.de

Prof. Dr. Joachim Wegener
Universitätsstr. 31
93053 Regensburg
Tel.: +49 941 943-4546
Joachim.Wegener@
emft.fraunhofer.de

Dr. Martin Richter
Tel.: +49 89 54759-455
Martin.Richter@
emft.fraunhofer.de

Christine Raab
Tel.: +49 89 54759-507
Christine.Raab@emft.fraunhofer.deMarketing, Communications and Strategy

Dr. Wilfried Lerch
Tel.: +49 89 54759-190
Wilfried.Lerch@
emft.fraunhofer.de

Cell-Based Sensor Technologies

Circuits & Systems

Katrin Menz
Tel.: +49 89 54759-506
Katrin.Menz@
emft.fraunhofer.de

Silicon Technologies & Devices

Prof. Dr. Marc Tornow
Tel.: +49 89 54759-551
Marc.Tornow@
emft.fraunhofer.de

www.emft.fraunhofer.de/enProf. Dr. Amelie Hagelauer
Tel.: +49 89 54759-300
Amelie.Hagelauer@
emft.fraunhofer.de

Dr. Alaa Abdellah
Tel.: +49 89 54759-296
Alaa.Abdellah@
emft.fraunhofer.de

Software & Methods

Prof. Dr. Linus Maurer
Tel.: +49 89 54759-330
Linus.Maurer@
emft.fraunhofer.deCircuit Design

Dr. Erkan Isa
Tel.: +49 89 54759-319
Erkan.Isa@
emft.fraunhofer.deCircuit DesignFrank Vanselow
Tel.: +49 89 54759-320
Frank.Vanselow@
emft.fraunhofer.deDavid Borggreve
Tel. +49 89 54759-629
David.Borggreve@
emft.fraunhofer.de55

RF-Design

Machine Learning-Enhanced Sensor Systems

Marco Dietz
Tel.: +49 89 54759-630
Marco.Dietz@
emft.fraunhofer.deAnalysis & Test

Franz Wenninger
Tel.: +49 89 54759-447
Franz.Wenninger@
emft.fraunhofer.deContact
Center for Interconnection Technologies ZVE

Analytics & Technologies
Dominik MußArgelsrieder Feld 682234 Weßling
Tel. +49 89 54759-430
Dominik.Muss@
emft.fraunhofer.de

Dr. Horst Gieser
Tel.: +49 89 54759-520
Horst.Gieser@
emft.fraunhofer.de

Head of High Performance Center LZSiS

Dr. Sabine Trupp
Tel.: +49 89 54759-561
Sabine.Trupp@
emft.fraunhofer.de

Strategic Projects

Oberpfaffenhofen
Argelsrieder Feld 682234 Weßling

Tel.: +49 89 54759-444
Fax: +49 89 54759-415

www.zve-kurse.de

Head of Further Training and Technology Transfer

Dr. Peter Ramm
Tel.: +49 89 54759-539
Peter.Ramm@
emft.fraunhofer.deTrainerDr.-Ing. Frank Ansorge
Tel.: +49 89 54759-456
Frank.Ansorge@
emft.fraunhofer.deTrainerGünter Paul
Tel.: +49 89 54759-418
Guenter.Paul@emft.fraunhofer.deTrainer

Dirk Schröder
Tel.: +49 89 54759-417
Dirk.Schroeder@
emft.fraunhofer.de

Event Management

Event Management

Monika Schmidt
Tel.: +49 89 54759-400
Anmeldung@emft.fraunhofer.de

56

Lucas Richter
Tel.: +49 89 54759-443
Lucas.Richter@
emft.fraunhofer.de

Silke Paul
Tel.: +49 89 54759-440
Anmeldung@emft.fraunhofer.de57

Imprint

Publisher
Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Microsystems
and Solid State Technologies EMFT
Hansastrasse 27d
80686 München

Editors
Elisa Göbel
Helena Goletz
Pirjo Larima-Bellinghoven
Tina Möbius
Klaudija Rodjak

Image Rights

Cover photoThin, flexible RF transmission lines for superconducting quantum circuits manufactured at Fraunhofer EMFT using roll-to-roll
technology to enable upscaling of parallel connections (1000+)in the cryostat.
© Fraunhofer EMFT / Bernd Müller
Seite 13
Measuring head for the capacitively coupled CDM-like TLP
stress test at wafer level.
© Fraunhofer EMFT / Bernd Müller

Layout, Typesetting and Production
marklting – Marken und Produkte mit Anziehungskraft | Johanna Markl

Portraits »CarreerS at Fraunhofer EMFT«, S. 47-49,
and »Contact«, S. 52-55

Contact© Fraunhofer EMFT / Puneet Sansare:
Elias Meltzer
Fatima-Zahra Jeddari
Luca Rommeis
Matilde CerbaiProf. Dr. Amelie Hagelauer
Prof. Dr. Christoph Kutter
Christine RaabPirjo Larima-Bellinghoven
Dr. Alaa Abdellah
Marco Dietz
Franz Wenninger
Lucas Richter

Fraunhofer EMFT
Marketing, Communications and Strategy
Hansastrasse 27d
80686 München
contact@emft.fraunhofer.de© Fraunhofer EMFT, 2024

58

© Private:
Maxime-Jean Chaudon
Dr. Karin Bauer© Fraunhofer EMFT / Bernd Müller:
Sonja Hoffmann
Katrin Menz
Christof Landesberger
Prof. Dr. Marc Tornow
Dr. Wilfried Lerch
Dr. Martin Richter
Prof. Dr. Joachim Wegener
Prof. Dr. Linus Maurer
Dr. Erkan Isa
Frank Vanselow
David Borggreve
Dr. Horst Gieser
Dominik Muß
Dr. Sabine Trupp
Dr. Peter Ramm
Dr.-Ing. Frank Ansorge
Günter Paul
Dirk Schröder
Monika Schmidt
Silke Paul59

Fraunhofer EMFT
Sensors and Actuators
for People and the Environmentwww.emft.fraunhofer.de/en