The system represents leap in Fraunhofer IPMS's strategy to bridge fundamental materials research and industrial semiconductor manufacturing. “Scalable quantum computing requires manufacturing technologies that combine outstanding material quality with semiconductor-compatible production processes,“ says Prof. Dr. Wenke Weinreich, Institute Director of Fraunhofer IPMS. “With this new PVD platform, we are expanding our capabilities to develop and qualify superconducting materials under CMOS-compatible conditions and to accelerate their transfer into industrial manufacturing. This is a major milestone for us in setting up a European Quantum Research Foundry.“

Polyteknik’s Flextura PVD system integrates multiple deposition technologies, allowing researchers to develop complex material stacks consisting of metals, nitrides and oxides. These material combinations form the foundation for superconducting circuits and other key devices required for future quantum processors. Initial process developments have already demonstrated promising superconducting properties for niobium nitride (NbN) and zirconium nitride (ZrN) deposited directly on 300 mm wafers. These materials, some of which were first ever demonstrated by Fraunhofer IPMS, have tremendous potential, says Weinreich:

“Our results show material characteristics consistent with values reported in scientific literature, demonstrating the platform’s capability to transfer high-performance quantum materials into an industrial 300 mm wafer format. We are achieving these benchmark properties with higher deposition rates and outstanding film uniformity, while the system’s flexibility allows us to continuously refine these processes.”

The new platform is fully integrated into Fraunhofer IPMS's 300 mm cleanroom environment and complements the institute's process portfolio within the Research Fab Microelectronics Germany (FMD). It also supports several major European pilot line initiatives, APECS, SUPREME and SPINS, which aim to strengthen Europe's semiconductor and quantum technology ecosystem.

Beyond research activities, the expanded infrastructure provides industrial partners with direct access to a qualified 300 mm R&D environment for process validation, material qualification and technology development. This enables companies to evaluate innovative materials and device concepts under manufacturing conditions that closely resemble future high-volume production

Funding note:

The tool was procured as part of the SMWK project 3D4QC which is co-funded by Saxony and the European Union.