Fraunhofer Institute for Silicon TechnologyWolfgang Kubicki, Vice President of the German Bundestag, visited Fraunhofer ISIT to learn about research that will change the world of microelectronics in the long term.
On 21.08.2020, the Vice President of the Bundestag and Member of the Bundestag Wolfgang Kubicki visited Fraunhofer ISIT as part of his tour of the Steinburg district. He came at the invitation of the Steinburg FDP district association. Besides the general ISIT activities, two research areas of ISIT were of particular interest to the guests. Both have the potential to change the world of microelectronics sustainably.
After a short introduction of the institute by ISIT director Prof. Axel Müller Groeling, Dr. Simon Fichtner presented his work on aluminum scandium nitride and explained the importance of the material for smart microelectronics. Aluminium-Scandium-Nitrid and other piezoelectric materials convert electrical signals into motion and, on the other hand, they generate electrical pulses when they are deformed. That is why these materials are very interesting as drives and for sensory tasks in microsystems. During his research, he discovered a property never before observed in this material - so-called ferroelectricity. Ferroelectricity gives AlScN a kind of memory. This memory has the potential to trigger a leap innovation in microelectronics, e.g. through smart computers for autonomous driving.
Dr. Björn Gojdka presented to the guests a technology developed and patented at ISIT for the development and production of three-dimensional microstructures. Currently, the choice of materials for the production of microsystems is limited; moreover, they are often only available as thin layers. This is where the new process developed at ISIT comes in. From powder materials, high-precision three-dimensional microstructures can be produced from a wide variety of functional materials that could not previously be integrated.
These microcomponents with specific magnetic, optical or chemical properties enable next-generation microsystems with improved or entirely new functions.
Without the use of microsystems, large areas of modern everyday technology would not be feasible. They are used, for example, in security, medical and automotive technology, in the life sciences or in consumer and communications electronics. Dr. Gojdka's group is focusing on a correspondingly large number of applications, ranging from the diagnosis of diseases to more powerful microelectronics and new types of sensors.
The visitors around Bundestag Vice President Wolfgang Kubicki were impressed by the innovative research work of Fraunhofer ISIT, work that will change the world of microelectronics in the long term.