Green and Sustainable Microelectronics

Despite all technical efforts, the total energy consumption of information and communications technology has risen continuously in the past. Against the socio-political backdrop of the worldwide reduction of CO2 emissions, this creates the challenge for the development of electronic systems to achieve resource minimization. This includes the consideration of the entire value chain of electronic products including the manufacturing processes and the supply chains. The Fraunhofer IPMS has set itself the goal of actively promoting this resource minimization together with the Forschungsfabrik Mikroelektronik Deutschland (FMD).

Hub 1 - Sensor Edge Cloud Systems

Fraunhofer IPMS contributes its expertise in the areas of neuromorphic AI accelerators, which provide an energy-efficient and high-performance alternative to classical software-based AI methods.

Furthermore, know-how is provided for the realization of energy-efficient power management circuitry and battery-free sensors, which are important for the implementation of energy-autonomous IoT sensor nodes.

In addition, we use our RISC-V expertise, both from the area of digital circuit development and in the realization of firmware components.

Fraunhofer IIS is coordinating this hub.

Hub 2 - Energy-efficient communication networks

The core task of Fraunhofer IPMS in this hub is providing optimized data transmission solutions based on Li-Fi and Ethernet TSN as well as the combination of both.

The coordinator of this hub is Fraunhofer EMFT.

Hub 3 - Resource-optimized electronics production

Here, Fraunhofer IPMS plays a central role, as it is the contact point for industry. Furthermore, the 200mm cleanroom as well as the 300mm cleanroom of the institute are considered references for the evaluation of improvements in electronics production.

Our work includes among others:

• Offers for the optimization of material consumption in the area of wet processes and lithography
• Evaluation of substitution of critical materials in the area of wet processes and lithography
• Optimization of waste gases from special process steps, minimization of waste gas pollution in the environment
• Optimization of energy consumption of equipment and processes with particularly high energy consumption

All results are also transferred to customers. Corresponding offers are being prepared.