€ 300 M to drive next-generation optoelectronic semiconductor technologies
The German federal government and the Free State of Bavaria intend to provide IPCEI funding to AMS Osram.
The 300 million euro funding is intended to boost the further development of semiconductor technology. The envisaged IPCEI funding (Important Project of Common European Interest) will support the company in making its own investments in the research and development of innovative optoelectronic components at its Regensburg, Germany, location.
At an event at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action on September 18, 2023, the company presented its project launched within the scope of the IPCEI ME/CT (Microelectronics and Communication Technologies). With the envisaged public funding, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) emphasizes that this project is of European significance – and supports the related investments in cooperation with the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy.
The application for public subsidies of more than 300 million euros are subject to the official notice of the grant. The amount will be mainly invested in activities for the research and development of innovative optoelectronic semiconductors and their manufacturing processes, thus creating four hundred new high-tech jobs. In addition, AMS Osram will invest in new clean room and laboratory facilities for research, development and pilot production – perfectly equipped for working on various innovative applications (e.g. UV-C LEDs for disinfection and near-infrared emitters for lidar for autonomous driving), as well as on fields of application in the context of Industry 4.0.
Another special focus will be microLEDs for use in an all-new type of display. Automation and artificial intelligence (AI) generally play a major role in Regensburg, enabling the company to break new ground at its production facilities. The construction of the first pilot assembly line for 8” wafer production is currently underway in order to launch the cost-efficient large-scale production of highly innovative microLEDs in the very near future.
