The advancing miniaturization and increasing integration density of semiconductors increases the demands on the quality and reliability of chips, especially in safety-critical areas such as the automotive industry and medical technology. In this context, the implementation of automated test processes enables significantly reduced test times and increased test coverage at the same time. This is particularly relevant in series production, where efficiency and cost reduction are of the utmost importance.

Prof. Dr. Rainer Holmer is a recognized expert in the field of test development with extensive experience in the semiconductor industry. He was a key contributor to the development and optimization of semiconductor test programs in leading positions at Siemens and Infineon Technologies. He has been teaching at OTH Regensburg since 2015 and, as Dean of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, brings valuable knowledge and perspectives to academic education.

OTH Regensburg is one of five university project partners involved in the “Bavarian Chip Design Center (BCDC)” project funded by the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, which is also being led by Fraunhofer EMFT (together with Fraunhofer AISEC and Fraunhofer IIS). The official handover of the associated funding decision took place in January 2024. Prof. Dr. Holmer is also a member of the advisory board of the Bavarian Chips Alliance. “I am delighted that our research expertise and close cooperation with the regional semiconductor industry are helping to establish OTH Regensburg and the whole of Eastern Bavaria as strong partners in chip development,” says Prof. Dr. Rainer Holmer.

The new cooperation will focus primarily on the development of innovative technologies and solutions for semiconductor testing. The planned activities include parametric and functional verification, characterization, qualification and productive testing of discrete semiconductor devices as well as integrated circuits and systems at wafer and device level. Other focal points are design for testability, test development, test optimization (e.g. with regard to test time and test costs) and test automation.

"We will use the emerging research potential to acquire and successfully implement R&D contracts from industry. The close networking with industry in the Regensburg region and in eastern Bavaria is an ideal basis for us to quickly bring the jointly developed solutions to market," says Prof. Dr. Amelie Hagelauer, Director of the Fraunhofer EMFT.

"The cooperation with Fraunhofer EMFT underlines the role of OTH Regensburg as a driver of innovation in the semiconductor industry of the future. Thanks to the great commitment of Dean Prof. Dr. Holmer, we are making important scientific contributions and strengthening the competitiveness of the region," says Prof. Dr. Ralph Schneider, President of OTH Regensburg.

In addition, the gained knowledge will also provide valuable input for the research activities of Fraunhofer EMFT within the new APECS pilot line: Prof. Holmer and his newly founded research team at Fraunhofer EMFT will develop a holistic test strategy for the post-silicon verification, characterization and productive testing of 2.5/3D heterogeneously integrated systems and implement it on a professional test system.

In particular, this will give future customers of the pilot line the opportunity to access a professional, adapted test strategy in addition to the developments in the field of highly integrated radar modules on flexible interposers and ultrasonic sensor technology in order to be able to offer innovations in these areas quickly and with the necessary reliability on the market. This will make a decisive contribution to strengthening European value creation.