X-Fab gets IPCEI funding of up to €80m

X-FAB, the analogue /mixed-signal and specialty foundry, is set to receive subsidies as part of the new Important Project of Common European Interest in Microelectronics and Communication Technologies (IPCEI ME/CT).

The funding, totalling up to €80 million, is to be granted by France and Germany over a period of five years.

The funding will cover three X-FAB sites, each focusing on distinct aspects of semiconductor technology.

The Corbeil-Essonnes facility in France specialises in smart sensors and drivers, new architectures, photonics and RF technologies. The site recently started volume production for 110nm technology on 200mm wafers, utilizing state-of-the-art BCD-on-SOI technology which was developed as part of the previous IPCEI ME program.

The Erfurt site in Germany researches and develops novel manufacturing platforms for smart integrated sensor systems, broadening X-FAB’s technology offering in smart sensor systems, 3D integration and heterogeneous chiplet integration through micro-transfer printing, thus further progressing cutting-edge technologies for system integration and advanced packaging.

At the Itzehoe site in Germany, X-FAB will focus on the development and implementation of new methods for processing glass wafers.

The funding will support a wide range of emerging technologies, serving a multitude of applications, including smart battery management, medical sensors, light sensors (such as LiDAR and OLED), communication devices compliant with future 6G standards, 5G mmWave, smart sensor systems, and microfluidic devices for biotech applications.

To achieve this, X-FAB is planning on collaborating with more than 40 key industrial partners, including SMEs and large companies, as well as academic institutions. These collaborations will cover various aspects along the semiconductor value chain.

“Our commitment lies in constantly pushing the boundaries of semiconductor technology,” says X-Fab CEO Rudi De Winter, “we are dedicated to delivering innovations that address key societal challenges.”