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    NTC BRIGHT: Bringing Light to Microelectronics – Braunschweig & Hannover Microelectronics Cluster

    NTC BRIGHT is bringing light to microelectronics. In this unique collaboration between semiconductor technology and chip design, both TU Braunschweig and Leibniz Universität Hannover have joined forces to propel hybrid GaN/silicon integration onto a new level of functionality.

    NTC BRIGHT is bound for developing microLED-based optical neuromorphic processors and use them for various applications: extremely energy-efficient processors in HPC data centers, latency-free and edge-AI applications, image and speech recognition, optical communication etc. Merging GaN technology with silicon microelectronics in a hybrid approach is a game changer.

    Infrastructure

    Research Environment

    Chip Design Center

    Fully equipped labs with circuit simulation software (Cadence, etc.), PCB/IC assembly tools and advanced measurement instruments, including high-bandwidth oscilloscopes, network analyzer, high-end thermal cameras, high-voltage SMUs/probe stations with laser cutter, and thermal chuck.

    Cleanrooms (ISO 405) for front-end, back-end, packaging & interconnect, including wafer-scale processing of GaN and silicon.

    • 1,800 m² (TUBS, LUH, PTB)
    • GaN epitaxy & front-end (up to 200 mm)
    • Silicon Front-End
    • Photolithography / Mask Alignment > 1 µm
    • E-beam lithography down to 5 nm
    • Direct laser lithography > 500 nm
    • Silicon post-foundry processing (200 mm)
    • Hybrid packaging and interconnects (chip level)
    • Laser material processing
    • Optoelectronic component testing at the wafer scale
    • Material- and component-related nanometrology
    • Electrochemical etching / porosification
    • Indium bump and nanowire interconnects

    Cleanrooms (Braunschweig & Hanover)

    © Jan Hosan/TU Braunschweig
    © Jan Hosan/TU Braunschweig
    © Jan Hosan/TU Braunschweig

    CMOS Design Hub (Braunschweig & Hanover)

    © Jan Hosan/TU Braunschweig

    Material and Component Characterization: Laboratory for Emerging Nanometrology – LENA
    (Braunschweig)

    © Jan Hosan/TU Braunschweig

    Center for Advanced Packaging and Assembly – CAPA (Hanover)

    © Joseph Winkler

    Optical Simulation: OPTICUM – Optics University Center and Campus (Hanover)

    © Architekturbüro HENN

    NTC BRIGHT (TUBS & LUH)

    • Microelectronics cluster for the development of optical neuromorphic processors
    • GaN/silicon chiplet technology
    • GaN μLED and laser technology
    • Packaging and interconnect technology
    • System integration and applications

    Participating Institutes:

    Institute for Semiconductor Technology (TUBS)

    Institute for CMOS Design (TUBS)

    Institute for Communication Technology (TUBS)

    Institute for Microelectronic Systems (LUH)

    – Group for Architectures and Systems

    • Architectures and Integrated Circuits for Image Processing and Design Automation
    • Architectures for Digital Signal Processing (DSP, FPGA, Multi-/Manycore, GPU, MPSoC, etc.)
    • Biomedical Electronics

    – Mixed-Signal Circuits

    • Design of mixed-signal integrated circuits for automotive engineering, biomedicine, power electronics, and harsh environments
    • Power management and sensor front-end ICs
    • Monolithic GaN integration (GaN ICs)

    Institute for Quantum Optics (LUH)

    • Laboratory for Ultrafast Lasers

    Institute for Microfabrication Technology (LUH)

    • Packaging and Joining Technologies
    • Mechanical Micromachining
    • Thin Film Technology
    • Microtribology

    CAPA – Collaboration for Advanced Packaging and Assembly (LUH)

    Institute for Vehicle Systems and Service Technologies (Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences)

    • Service Technology and Processes (STP)
    • Automotive Service Technology and Processes (ASTP)

    PTB: Center for Nanostructuring and Cleanroom Technology

    Participation in Research Clusters:

    The BRIGHT project leaders are involved in numerous major research clusters.

    Teaching

    Technology Transfer

    Both Braunschweig and Hanover offer two new master’s degree programs in “Microelectronics Engineering” (taught entirely in English; international applications are welcome)More than 10 startups in the fields of microelectronics and quantum technology:

    First contact:
    Dr. Helene Kuhn, Project Manager NTC BRIGHT
    ntc-bright@tu-braunschweig.de