APECS pilot line

As part of APECS, Fraunhofer IIS contributes extensive expertise across the entire microelectronics value chain. Our activities span chip and system design, system-level integration, and the characterization, testing, and failure analysis of modern chiplet-based systems.

A key focus is placed on the development, implementation, and validation of demonstrators that showcase the performance of new chiplet technologies under real-world conditions – for example, for high-performance computing or sensor systems.

The work is carried out across the institute by three participating research divisions of Fraunhofer IIS, each contributing their complementary expertise.

APECS is part of a Europe-wide network of leading research and technology organizations and is undertaken under the EU Chips Act as well as national funding programs. As part of the Research Fab Microelectronics Germany (FMD), Fraunhofer IIS collaborates closely with other institutes and partners.

This strong collaboration within the network ensures the rapid transfer of research results into industrial applications and strengthens the long-term competitiveness of European microelectronics.

The APECS consortium brings together the technological expertise, infrastructure, and know-how from ten partners across eight European countries: Germany (Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft as coordinator with FBH and IHP), France (CEA-Leti), Belgium (imec), Finland (VTT), Austria (TU Graz), Greece (FORTH), Spain (IMB-CNM, CSIC), and Portugal (INL).

APECS is co-funded by the Chips Joint Undertaking and national funding authorities from Belgium, Germany, Finland, France, Greece, Austria, Portugal, and Spain under the “Chips for Europe” initiative.

Substantial funding from the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) and the federal states of Saxony, Berlin, Bavaria, Schleswig-Holstein, Baden-Württemberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Brandenburg, and Saxony-Anhalt enables the continued expansion of R&D infrastructure within the APECS pilot line in the coming years.

This project is supported by the European Union’s European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).