Press Releases

Fraunhofer IPMS presents Li-Fi TinySpot, a miniaturized, energy-efficient optical transceiver for wireless data communication in applications with limited power supply, such as sensors, wearables, and embedded devices. The transceiver supports bidirectional full-duplex communication at data rates of up to 20 Mbps over distances from a few centimeters to several meters. Its compact form factor, low power consumption and UART and SPI interfaces facilitate integration into space-constrained systems such as Health and Usage Monitoring Systems and support the modernization of legacy IrDA interfaces.

Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS have developed a full-color OLED microdisplay based on a 28 nm CMOS process, which is highly efficient and features smallest pixels. The display will be presented at Eurodisplay 2026, taking place from September 22 to 24, 2026 in Dublin, Ireland.

Science Minister Manja Schüle launches the artificial intelligence and microelectronics initiative. The Federal Ministry of Research is funding the project with €15 million under the Structural Development Act. The first module, AI-DISCO, is researching a platform for distributed AI.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS has expanded its 300 mm technology platform with a highly flexible physical vapor deposition (PVD) system, reinforcing its capabilities in developing CMOS-compatible materials and processes for next-generation quantum computing. Installed in collaboration with Polyteknik, the new platform enables the deposition and optimization of superconducting thin films on 300 mm wafers under production-like semiconductor manufacturing conditions. This is a major milestone towards the establishment of a European Quantum Research Foundry.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS has developed a new technology that can significantly improve the image quality of optical microscopes. A specially designed micromechanical mirror array corrects optical distortions that occur when viewing biological tissue. This makes even fine structures appear sharper, which is an important prerequisite for biomedical research and future applications in medical diagnostics.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS is one of the world’s leading research institutions in the field of spatial light modulators. Its technologies enable light to be controlled and shaped with high precision. This opens up new possibilities in semiconductor manufacturing, medical technology, and precision optics. At Photonix Japan 2026, Fraunhofer IPMS will present its latest research findings. The institute will also demonstrate how its spatial light modulators can be further developed into customized solutions for demanding photonic applications.

Lusatia is emerging as one of Germany’s most exciting innovation hubs. Through targeted investments in research and technology transfer, Cottbus is becoming a strong hub for future technologies. The Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems (IPMS) is playing a key role in this development, with a focus on microelectronics, smart sensors, and artificial intelligence: The institute combines excellent research with concrete applications for industry, thereby laying the technological foundation for the region’s successful structural transformation.

Whether it’s sensor technology, data processing, or quantum technologies, integrated photonics lays the foundation for compact and high-performance systems. Optical components and functions can be integrated onto a single chip and combined with electronics and other technologies. The Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS develops photonic devices and systems for this purpose. At the Industry Partner Day on August 20, 2026, Fraunhofer IPMS brought together representatives from research and industry to discuss current developments and future prospects in integrated photonics.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS is expanding its leadership team: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wenke Weinreich has been appointed the institute’s second director, effective immediately. In her new role, she will be working alongside Institute Director Prof. Dr.-Ing. Harald Schenk and guiding the institute’s strategic and scientific direction. At the same time, she will take on the professorship in Functionalized Microelectronics for Heterogeneous Systems at the Dresden University of Technology.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems (IPMS), in collaboration with Heimann Sensor and the Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (IFW Dresden), is developing the technological foundation for a new generation of thermoelectric infrared sensor arrays. By integrating highly efficient thermoelectric materials into CMOS-compatible manufacturing technology for the first time, the project aims to create significantly more powerful sensors. The goal is to achieve a temperature resolution of less than 20 millikelvin with pixel sizes of less than 45 micrometers, which is an important step toward new applications in medicine, industry, mobility and security.