20.02.2013

Electronic Systems "Made in Germany"

Electronics have invaded and changed all areas of life and industry in our society. From an economic standpoint, such system account for half the value added in industry. In hardly any other technological branch is worldwide competition as challenging as it is in electronic systems. For Germany as an exporting nation, one which wants to take a leading role with innovative products on the world market in the future, electronics are a key technology. It is crucial to embrace global competition and to continue to fund research and technological development in the future.

Electronic components in computers and mobile phones, in household, entertainment and automotive technologies make our lives easier - both at work and in day to day activities. They are indispensable for innovations in all modern fields of technology.

Electronic systems account for around 90 per cent of all "true" automotive innovations (as opposed to detail improvements). With high-quality models, the amount of value added is around 35 per cent. This trend will become stronger, particularly in the context of increasing electrification of vehicle motors right up to the purely electric car.

Of course, only experts know the challenges and costs standing behind all the new developments. Often hidden away behind a product's surface, electronic systems must be designed, produced and put on the market with high complexity, in an extremely small amount of time, and at an acceptable price - all while functioning reliably and energy efficiently. Rapid performance capabilities and constant miniaturization have characterized electronic development for decades.

BMBF Funding Goals

Micro and nanoelectronics are key technologies which are of great significance for the entire manufacturing industry. As part of the research programme ICT 2020, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) funds innovations that strengthen Germany's technological lead in the field of electronics, ensure the country's ability to compete, and enhance Germany's attractiveness.

Funding provisions in the field of electronics include:

Developing basic technologies of chip production and chip design, lithography, 3D integration and process technologies, as well as research into new materials
Creating and funding centres of excellence in the field of components and devices for electronic manufacturing
Enabling sustainable mobility through research in the field of electronic components and systems for the cars of tomorrow
Opening up new applications through innovative electronic components, for example, in the field of power electronics
Supporting new approaches for electronic systems, for example, in forms like organic electronics or magnetic microsystems

The funding places emphasis on automotives, medicine, logistics, energy and machine construction - fields of application in which innovations are heavily ICT-driven (information and communication technologies). Quality goals, profitability, security, user-friendliness, and resource efficiency are to be achieved through research and development. In addition, bridges between technologies and fields of application are to be built in order to make the transfer of research findings into industrial success as rapid as possible.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are of great significance in this goal-oriented implementation of (research) findings into industrial applications and products. As fast-reacting and flexible economic entities, they are important drivers of innovation and can rapidly transfer research findings to applications. Research funding provided within the context of the programme KMU-innovative IKT sustainably contributes to securing and increasing the attractiveness of Germany as a location for advanced technology.

European Funding Programme

Cooperative research projects that transcend national borders make a crucial contribution to the ability to successfully meet future challenges in the field of micro and nanoelectronics. They represent an important factor in international competition today, because in this way, international standards can be established early, thereby enabling a leading market position from the start. In recent years, the BMBF has made crucial contributions to strengthening and expanding the position of the European semiconductor industry through European funding activities such as the EUREKA programmes JESSI, MEDEA, and MEDEA+. This path will be continued through research funding within the context of the EUREKA programme CATRENE (Cluster for Application and Technology Research in Europe on NanoElectronics) as well as the European technology initiative ENIAC (European Nanoelectronics Initiative Advisory Council). This will enable us to continue shaping and driving the European development of strategically significant fields of application in nanoelectronics.