POLICIES

e-Ramp: a strong team with 26 research partners from six countries

The focus of eRamp: research will focus on the rapid introduction of new production techniques and the additional exploration of packaging technologies for power semiconductors. The task facing the 26 research partners from six countries is to explore and develop new methods for more rapid starting production.

To examine the research results immediately for their practicality in the locations where the new manufacturing techniques will ultimately be used, the research partners use existing pilot lines and apply extensive manufacturing expertise in different locations. These include Dresden (Infineon: power semiconductors based on 300 mm chips), Reutlingen (Bosch: power semiconductors, smart power and sensors based on 200 mm chips) and Regensburg (Infineon packaging technology for power semiconductors). To evaluate newly developed chip embedding technology, Infineon, Osram and Siemens will fabricate and investigate test setups and demonstrators in close cooperation with one another.

The main task of the JOANNEUM RESEARCH POLICIES team within the framework of this project is to develop new prediction techniques in order to increase the reliability and yield of new chip technologies.

More energy efficiency through power electronics

Power electronics include electronic components and the chips installed within them called power semiconductors. Power semiconductors help keep the loss of electrical power as low as possible. They feed the maximal amount of electrical energy produced by wind or solar power into the grid, transfer the power almost without loss over thousands of kilometers from the place of production to the consumer and reduce power consumption in various devices. These include household appliances, lighting equipment, servers and computers used in hybrid and electric cars, commercial vehicles, construction and agricultural machinery as well as energy technology and manufacturing facilities in industry.