The U.S. CHIPS Act and the European Chips Act established governmental measures on two continents to alleviate the manufacturing dilemma birthed by the semiconductor shortage. Two organizations, one from North American and the other from Europe, have taken steps to join forces in a cohesive effort to bolster the availability of microelectronics in the western hemisphere.
The New York Center for Research, Economic Advancement, Technology, Engineering, and Science (NY CREATES) is a research-and-development institution for digital technologies and microelectronics. Last year, representatives from Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems (IPMS) met with counterparts at NY CREATES’ Albany NanoTech Complex in New York. Wenke Weinreich, deputy director of the Fraunhofer IPMS, signed a memorandum of understanding in the presence of Saxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer, which marked a collaboration that includes the initiation of joint research projects, symposia and workshops, as well as the promotion of scientific exchanges (Figure 1).
This step marks a significant milestone in the international cooperation between the two institutions, which are focused on promoting innovation and progress in the fields of digital technologies, energy technologies and microelectronics.
"With our expertise and technologies in advanced microelectronics, we ideally complement the capabilities of NY CREATES,” explained Weinreich. “Together, we can make significant progress in the development of future semiconductor systems."
NY CREATES representatives visited the Fraunhofer Institute in Dresden and the Silicon Saxony office where Fraunhofer IPMS and NY CREATES had agreed on concrete dates for a joint exchange in 2024.
“We are pleased to partner with Fraunhofer IPMS to pursue common goals, such as the ways in which we can further enable next-generation semiconductor research, a highly qualified workforce, and economic advancement,” said NY CREATES President Dave Anderson (Figure 2). “As we anticipate large-scale growth at our Albany NanoTech Complex site, including the new High NA EUV Lithography Center, we look forward to complementary collaborations with Fraunhofer IPMS along with other leading global organizations.”
