FAMES - Towards energy-saving chips for digital, analog and RF

Towards low-power chips for digital, analog and high-frequency technologies: CEA-Leti and Fraunhofer extend their collaboration in the FAMES pilot line, a pioneering project to promote semiconductor technologies in Europe. This initiative supports the EU Chip Act, which aims to strengthen the EU's technological sovereignty.

The pilot line will develop five new sets of technologies:

• FD-SOI (with two new generation nodes at 10nm and 7nm),
• Several types of embedded non-volatile memories (OxRAM, FeRAM, MRAM and FeFETs),
• Radio-frequency components (switches, filters and capacitors),
• Two 3D integration options (heterogeneous integration and sequential integration), and
• Small inductors to develop DC-DC converters for Power Management Integrated Circuits (PMIC).

The five new technologies will create market opportunities for low-power microcontrollers (MCU), multi-processor units (MPU), cutting-edge AI and machine learning devices, smart data-fusion processors, RF devices, chips for 5G/6G, chips for automotive markets, smart sensors and imagers, trusted chips and new space components. “By integrating and combining a set of cutting-edge technologies, the FAMES Pilot Line will open the door to disruptive system-on-chip architectures and provide smarter, greener and more efficient solutions for future chips. The FAMES project will indeed pay special attention to semiconductor sustainability challenges,” – said Jean-René Lèquepeys, CTO of CEA-Leti.

The pilot line will be accessible to all EU stakeholders (universities, RTOs, SMEs and industrial companies) and all like-minded countries through annual open calls and upon request, following a fair and non-discriminatory selection process. The project will benefit from funding that will be provided in equal parts by participating member states and the Chips JU. “The Chips Joint Undertaking (Chips JU) is proud to contribute to this strategic initiative and strengthen the EU’s sovereignty in a critical domain. This pilot line will advance essential semiconductor technologies, while maintaining a strong focus on sustainability, and foster the collaboration between several European actors. The Chips JU aims to act as a catalyst and a model for further public and private collaborations in key areas,” explained Jari Kinaret, the Chips JU executive director.

The FAMES consortium - partners from all over Europe:

• CEA-Leti (France)
• imec (Belgium)
• Fraunhofer (Germany)
• Tyndall (Ireland)
• VTT (Finland)
• CEZAMAT WUT (Poland)
• UCLouvain (Belgium)
• Silicon Austria Labs (Austria)
• SiNANO Institute (France)
• Grenoble INP-UGA (France)
• University of Granada (Spain)