NanoWired GmbH is a high-tech startup that aims to introduce a completely new bonding process for the assembly and manufacturing of electronics. Our patented nanotechnology has been successfully scaled-up and now it is getting ready for its integration in real applications and manufacturing environments. In a record time since the creation of the company in 2017, we have achieved 19 pilot contracts with international giants. Electronics manufacturers face technical challenges that are slowing the rate of performance increases and size reductions. Trying to go 3D (stacking microchips vertically) or using flexible PCB’s are some of the new strategies in the semiconductor and microelectronic industry. However, going 3D is bringing challenges at the micro-level (e.g. the tighter density requires better heat dissipation) and at industrial level (e.g. high yields and scalability, cost-reductions, big investments in equipment, and difficult integration). NanoWired GmbH has developed a process that enables the joining and contacting of electronic components at room temperature. The prepared components simply have to be pressed together, like a metallic Velcro. The result is a permanently solid, strong, flexible and highly conductive connection. With this Phase 2, we will launch the equipment that will push the chip and electronic industry one step beyond by overcoming current limitations of soldering, bonding or gluing techniques. The market launch of NanoWelds represents the beginning of our sales activity planned for the second half of 2020. Three years after market launch, we will reach annual sales of 15.8M€ and an EBT of 14.89M€. Considering these projections and the investment needed for Phase 2 (approx. 3M€), the Return of Investment will be 3,96. Furthermore, with the support of the SME Instrument NanoWired GmbH will grow from 10 to 30 employees in the next five years.

YESvGaN targets a new low-cost wide band gap (WBG) power transistor technology for enabling high-efficiency power electronic systems in the field of electromobility, industrial drives, renewable energies and data centers. In many applications requiring power transistors with high voltage and current rating (600…1200V, ~100A), silicon IGBT technology is nowadays used due to cost considerations accepting its lower efficiency compared to WBG solutions. The main objective of YESvGaN is to demonstrate innovative vertical gallium nitride (GaN) power transistors fabricated on a low-cost substrate such as silicon. This so-called vertical membrane architecture combines the superior performance of GaN as WBG power transistor material with the advantages of a vertical architecture regarding current and voltage robustness at a price competitive to silicon IGBTs. To this end, the entire value chain from substrate, epitaxy, process technology, interconnection technology to application in relevant power electronic systems is addressed. YESvGaN clusters the relevant competences along the value chain in a consortium of large companies, SMEs and institutes from seven European countries.

The electronic packaging industry, with revenues estimated at €1.2 billion for 2020, is currently stuck mostly due to the fact that the triad performance, form-factor and cost has reached its limit. Key sectors such as the semiconductor and e-mobility industry are claiming for the development and implementation of new integration technologies able to fulfil their current needs in line with decreasing device size, cost-effectiveness, and efficient packaging. At NanoWired GmbH, a German company recently founded, we are working in finishing the development of NanoWelds, a disruptive 3D-integration technique based on a nanotechnology. By means of a two-steps process, and thanks to the full-controlled coating of the surfaces to be assembled with nanowires, NanoWelds is able to bond different types of surfaces at room temperature and without using any additives. The NanoWelds technology represents the first economic-viable process based on a nanotechnology generating reproducible nanowires in any type of substrate meeting at the same time the homogeneity and quality requirements of the industry. With NanoWelds we are bringing the electronic packaging industry one step beyond by overcoming current limitations on soldering or gluing techniques, which require high temperature and, often, noble or toxic metals, thus making the process economically viable for industrial production. In addition, thanks to the automation of the whole process, we are facilitating the uptake of nanotechnology by this industry, thus enabling the next generation of consumer electronics, sensors, accumulators, and batteries among others. The market launch of NanoWelds represents the beginning of our sales activity planned for the second half of 2020. By the end of 2022, three years after market uptake, we expect to obtain an accumulated revenue of €14.5 million and have created up to 30 new positions in our company.

The Chips JU project E2PackMan contributes to strengthen innovation and packaging production in Europe to improve the ecosystem for leading edge / advanced electronics. Integration of more functionality in smaller volume is still the major driver in microelectronics. In order to facilitate further miniaturization, assembly and packaging (A&P) is becoming of increasing importance for the value chain of a microelectronic product. To secure the future of electronic products "Made in Europe", we need a big push to strengthen innovation and production in the A&P sector. Thus E2PackMan will push materials research as well as innovative equipment and process developments. The focus of this research will be on catalyzing industrial production capabilities in Europe, both strengthening the production capabilities of the large semiconductor suppliers in Europe and creating a network that enables SMEs to produce their innovative devices in Europe. A world-class consortium of 60 partners from 13 European countries has been brought together to push advanced packaging in Europe towards heterogeneous system integration: The E2PackMan -EU project tackles a coherent approach that includes the whole value chain from material, process and technology developments validated by test-builds including the interface of the package to the chips and to the board/system.

ALL2GaN will be the backbone for the European Power Electronics Industry by offering an EU-born smart GaN Integration Toolbox. The project will provide the base for applications with significantly increased material- and energy efficiency, thus meeting the global energy needs while keeping the CO2 footprint to the minimum. 46 partners from 12 European countries will collaborate on 8 major objectives along the entire vertical value chain of power and RF electronics. O1: Push the limits of industrial GaN devices and system-on-chip approaches for ≤ 100V O2: Leverage the full potential of innovative substrates for GaN O3: Achieve novel benchmark solutions for lateral GaN devices and integrated circuits ≥ 650V O4: Reach best technical and cost performance of RF GaN on Si with novel integration concepts O5: Break the packaging limits by application driven integrated solutions of high performance GaN products O6: Advance the methods to evaluate and optimize reliability and robustness of GaN components, modules, and systems for shortest time-to-market and maximum product availability at the end user O7: Demonstrate highest affordable performance for greener power electronics and RF applications O8: Road-mapping for the future GaN technology development and applications to support long-term exploitation/business cases and European leadership beyond ALL2GaN. The collaboration in ALL2GaN is based on a work package structure covering activities on novel power- and RF-GaN technologies for various voltage classes, latest packaging technologies, research on reliability and demonstration in 11 Use Cases. With ambitious goals and a clear vision, ALL2GaN will unleash the energy saving and material efficiency potential of GaN semiconductors for a broad field of applications, thus being in line with the major challenges outlined in the ECS-SRIA. ALL2GaN technology will directly contribute to energy saving and cutting-edge green technology innovation as…Every Watt counts!