In November, Fraunhofer researchers and representatives of numerous international companies met at Fraunhofer IIS/EAS to work on the design of the Chiplet Center of Excellence (CCoE). As an initiative of three Fraunhofer microelectronics institutes, the CCoE will begin its work in early 2024 by addressing numerous practical questions on the future development of chiplet technology in Europe. It is therefore intended to act as an important bridge between chiplet research and practical applications.

Working in a consortium of industry and research under the coordination of Fraunhofer IIS/EAS, the center will seek to make best possible use of the capabilities of chiplet technology for European industry. To that end, the plan is to draw up guidance for a chiplet development, production, and testing methodology that takes optimum account of industry-specific requirements and conditions – supplemented by, among other things, a gap analysis and recommendations for the design of an industry-wide chiplet ecosystem.

What makes the CCoE unique is Fraunhofer’s wide-ranging technological portfolio as well as close networking and interdisciplinary collaboration with industry. This joint work focuses on strong sectors of European industry and will bolster not only competitiveness but also technological sovereignty. In the first two years, the CCoE will focus on automotive applications and their specific requirements.

Andy Heinig, Head of Efficient Electronics, explains: “Chiplets will play a key role in shaping the future of the semiconductor industry, and the CCoE will help to optimize this transition for key European industries. There’s a lot of talk about chiplets, but their practical application and integration into products remains in its infancy except in large series from a few individual manufacturers. This is where our center comes in. We’ll work actively with industry partners and we’ll be delighted if other companies join the initiative so that we can shape the future of chip technology together.”