Research and production at one location

Fraunhofer ISIT in Itzehoe is one of Europe's most modern research facilities for microelectronics and microsystems technology. At the heart of the institute are the clean room facilities, large enough not only to conduct research but also to manufacture the developed microchips on an industrial scale.

In close cooperation with partners from industry, 180 scientists at ISIT develop power electronics components and microsystems with fine moving structures for sensor technology (pressure, motion, biochemical analytics, etc.) and actuator technology (valves, scanners, mirror arrays, etc.), including the necessary packaging technology. These miniaturized components are used in medicine, environmental and traffic engineering, communication technology, the automotive industry and mechanical engineering.

Our Vision

ISIT is the excellent, globally sought-after address for creating new and useful solutions of social relevance and bringing them into people's everyday lives.

Our Mission

High-tech taken further - we at ISIT make energy use efficient and high-tech solutions widely available through miniaturization.

Dr. Alexander Marc Heuer

Alexander Heuer is an experienced executive and manager with a broad industry expertise. Besides founding and leading his own biotech company he has spent more than 20 years in various consulting roles, last with the global management consultancy Roland Berger. He specializes in high-tech industries, especially semiconductors, and has helped companies with a multitude of topics, covering restructuring, R&D, international and business strategy, as well as M&A. As a physicist with a PhD in laser physics, he is uniquely suited to bridge the gap between science and high-tech on one hand, and business and commercial topics on the other hand. He has worked with clients from all over the globe, ranging from the United States via Europe and the Middle East, all the way to Asia and Japan, as well as Australia. Regarding semiconductors, he has advised some of the largest and most unique players as well as governments and government bodies, covering strategic and operational topics.

In February 2026 he took over the role of acting managing director of the Fraunhofer ISIT.

Prof. Dr. Marco Liserre

Marco Liserre studied electrical engineering and received his doctorate from the Technical University of Bari in 2002. He was Associate Professor at the Technical University of Bari and from 2012 Professor of Reliable Power Electronics at Aalborg University (Denmark). Since 2013, he has been a full professor and holder of the Chair of Power Electronics at Kiel University. He has received and declined offers of professorships at various universities. He has been involved in the establishment of industry-funded research centres in Denmark and Italy. He is co-author of a book and of numerous international publications and patents, which are among the most cited in power electronics (ISI Thomson Highly Cited 2014-2021). He held several leading positions within the IEEE, including the offices of Vice President of IEEE-IES and IEEE-PELS, as well as chairing major international conferences of IEEE-IES, IEEE-PELS, and IEEE-PES. He received several awards, in the following they are listed the most important. For his contribution in "Modelling and control of power converters in reliability and stability studies", he was awarded the IEEE-PELS R. David Middlebrook Achievement Award 2023, the highest award of IEEE-PELS, presented at ECCE-USA 2023 in Nashville, USA. For his contribution in "Development of power electronic systems for distributed generation and power quality improvement" he received the IEEE-IES Mittelmann Achievement Award 2018, the highest honour of the IEEE-IES, which was awarded at IECON 2018 in Washington, USA. For his contributions to "grid connection of renewable energy systems and industrial drives", he was named an IEEE Fellow in 2013.

In 2023, he joined Fraunhofer ISIT as Deputy Director, Head of the Kiel branch and Head of the "Electronic Energy Systems" group.

In 2025, he took over the acting management of the institute and the acting management of the Power Electronics division.

Prof. Dr. Fabian Lofink

Fabian Lofink is Deputy Director and Head of the Business Unit MEMS Applications at the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicon Technology ISIT in Itzehoe, and Professor of Materials and Devices in Microsystems Technology at Kiel University. As a physicist with a PhD, he combines fundamental materials science research with the development of industrially relevant MEMS devices and microfabrication technologies. His scientific focus includes piezoelectric and ferroelectric thinfilm technologies, magnetoelectric composite materials, as well as acoustic, optical, and actuatorbased MEMS systems.

Since 2016, he has been responsible for the strategic development of the MEMS Applications business unit at Fraunhofer ISIT, where he drives the implementation of highly miniaturized, highperformance sensor and actuator systems for industrial applications. In addition to his extensive publication and patent activities, Fabian Lofink is deeply engaged in science and technology transfer and has initiated several spinoff companies emerging from Fraunhofer research. He is widely regarded as a key bridge between academic research, applied development, and industrial exploitation in the field of microsystems technology.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Silicon Technology ISIT develops and manufactures customer-specific components for power electronics and microsystems technology. Important fields of application are energy technology, automotive and traffic engineering, consumer goods industry, medical technology, communication and automation technology. The state-of-the-art technological equipment based on a 200 mm silicon wafer technology and the know-how built up over decades ensure ISIT and its customers a worldwide leading position in the field.

ISIT supports its customers from design and system simulation to prototype production, sampling and series preparation. About 180 employees with engineering and scientific education profiles work at the institute.

Important aspects of the institute include: System integration, assembly and interconnection technology (packaging) and reliability and quality of components, modules and systems. Application specific circuits (ASICs) for sensors and actuators are also provided. Developments in the field of electrical energy storage with a focus on Li-polymer accumulators continue to be part of ISIT's service portfolio.

A unique selling point of the institute is the rapid transfer of innovative developments into industrial application and production. For this purpose, ISIT cooperates in its clean rooms with the ongoing wafer production of the companies Vishay Siliconix Itzehoe GmbH and X-FAB MEMS Foundry Itzehoe GmbH. There are long-standing cooperations with various manufacturing companies in the vicinity of the institute. The quality management system at Fraunhofer ISIT is qualified according to ISO 9001:2015.

ISIT operates a working group at the Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel.

Fraunhofer ISIT is headed by Prof. Dr. Marco Liserre.

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