Press Releases

The Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS, in collaboration with DIVE imaging systems GmbH, has achieved a major milestone in resource-efficient semiconductor manufacturing. With the successful installation of an optical measurement system by DIVE in the cleanroom of Fraunhofer IPMS, the effort required for quality control during wafer production has been significantly reduced. This collaboration paves the way for a more sustainable and efficient semiconductor production process.

The energy consumption of modern telecommunications infrastructure is growing rapidly. To cope with this increase, future network technologies such as 6G must be designed with a strong focus on energy efficiency. In this context, Fraunhofer IPMS has developed an advanced testbed for Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN). This platform not only enables precise analysis and optimization of energy usage in real-time networks but also demonstrates successful wireless TSN data transmission via Li-Fi, a breakthrough for mobile industrial applications such as autonomous robots or machinery in factory automation.

Galvanoscanners have so far provided reliable services in optical communication in space or in Earth observation via LIDAR. However, in the future, these systems could be replaced by smaller and more compact systems with MEMS scanners. In the MiniLIDAR project funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK), scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS together with partners have developed scanning modules that are now made space-ready. These will be presented for the first time at LASER 2025, from June 24 to 27, 2025, in Munich (Fraunhofer joint booth, booth #415, Hall A2).

A pan-European consortium dedicated to developing sustainable processes and technologies for the semiconductor-manufacturing supply chain announces the launch of the GENESIS project. This integrated, large-scale initiative aims to enable Europe’s chip industry to meet its sustainability goals – from material development to final waste treatment. Fraunhofer IPMS takes a managing role for one of the central work packages in order to minimize chemical waste and reduce emissions.

Fraunhofer IPMS has signed a partnership agreement with TSN Lab to advance the development and dissemination of Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) technology in South Korea. This partnership will enhance Fraunhofer IPMS‘ presence in the Asian market and strengthen its position as a leader in innovative networking solutions. TSN Lab is a leader in Korea in the field of Integrated Real-Time Solutions. Together with Fraunhofer IPMS‘ expertise in TSN IP Cores, they aim to drive innovation and efficiency in the rapidly evolving field of real-time data communication.

For the first time, Fraunhofer IPMS presents its advanced, high-performance evaluation kits for spatial light modulators, which now feature tilting or piston mirrors as actuator types. The tiny micro mirrors of the spatial light modulators can manipulate light on a pixel-by-pixel basis. They play a crucial role for the generation of high-precision light patterns for applications in lithography, medical technology, astronomy, or quantum computing.

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly integrated into sectors such as healthcare, autonomous vehicles and smart cities, traditional computing architectures face significant limitations in processing speed and energy efficiency. The “ViTFOX“ project unites eight partners from Europe and Korea to create a groundbreaking Vision Transformer architecture based on ferroelectric oxide, allowing for significant reductions in energy consumption and latency. Unlike traditional architectures, which often rely on separate memory and processing units, ViTFOX aims to integrate computing directly into memory, achieving an exceptional energy efficiency of over 50 TOPS/W. The European Union is funding the project with € 1.5 million.

NY CREATES and Fraunhofer IPMS announced at a signing ceremony a new Joint Development Agreement (JDA) to drive research and development focused on memory devices. The JDA will leverage and link the strengths of each organization to engineer, develop, and characterize these devices that are critical for advancing the memory development ecosystems of each respective organization.

Vuzix® Corporation (NASDAQ: VUZI), ("Vuzix" or, the "Company"), a leading supplier of Smart Glasses and Augmented Reality (AR) technology and products, and Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS (Fraunhofer IPMS), a globally renowned research institution based in Germany, are excited to announce a major milestone in the development of a custom microLED backplane.

A common method to increase the brightness of OLEDs while maintaining a long lifespan is the use of multiple stacked OLEDs. Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS have now developed an innovative high-voltage CMOS backplane that enables exceptionally bright microdisplays. These will be presented for the first time at the SID Display Week 2025, from May 13 to 15, 2025, in San José, USA (Booth No. 1135 at the German Pavilion).