Partnership, Consortium, Collaboration and Interaction
The integrated WBG pilot line involves strongly interacting infrastructural nodes located in Finland, Italy, Poland, Sweden, France, Austria and Germany.
The consortium is coordinated by CNR and includes 15 RTOs from 7 European Countries, with internationally recognized expertise in different fields of WBG and UWBG semiconductors technology, ranging from materials growth, devices processing, advanced characterizations and simulations, PDKs and packaging.
- Italy
- Sweden
- Finland
- Poland
- Austria
- Germany
- France
National Research Council of Italy (CNR)
The Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems of the CNR (CNR-IMM), part of the DSFTM, is headquartered in Catania with units across Italy. It employs over 200 experts in physics, chemistry and electronics. In Catania it hosts a 300 m² ISO4 class 10 clean room and 1500 m² of advanced labs for WBG semiconductors growth, processing and characterization. CNR-IMM has a strong track record of collaborations with companies, SMEs and start-ups on WBG devices.
Chip4Power
Chip4Power is a new consortium of the 4 different Italian partners (CNR, FBK, IUNET, CIPS-IT) that will perform the realization of the new clean-room for CNR and also the procurement and the installation of all the systems of the CNR pilot line site. Furthermore, Chip4Power will also be the primary contact point for the WBG Pilot Line and will distribute the request of the different SME, large companies, Universities and research labs to the different nodes of the Pilot Line.
Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK)
FBK, based in Trento (Euregio), is an internationally recognized research foundation. Its Centre for Sensors and Devices (FBK-SD) counts 100+ scientists and hosts advanced facilities for sensors, MEMS, photonics, quantum tech, 3D integration, SiC and Ge-on-Si. With 30+ years of collaborations with industries and institutes, FBK supports SMEs and start-ups “from lab to fab” through R&D, open-facility access, and prototyping of custom high-quality devices for companies and space agencies.
National Interuniversity Consortium for Nanoelectronics (IU.NET)
IU.NET participates in the project with research teams from 8 Italian universities (Padova, Catania, Bologna, Pisa, Torino, Milano, Modena-Reggio Emilia, Calabria) specializing in Electronic Technologies. Their expertise encompasses the characterization, modeling, simulation, design, and reliability of widebandgap (WBG) power and radiofrequency (RF) devices and circuits.
CHIPS-IT Foundation
The CHIPS-IT Foundation, established in 2023, is Italy’s center for semiconductor IC design. Its mission is to boost national capacity in microelectronics, enhance professional training, and build a network linking universities, research centers and industry to foster innovation and attract investments. In the Pilot Line, CHIPS-IT focuses on PDKs. Partners include leading EU universities and institutes (FAU, Swansea, Warwick, CNM, Fraunhofer) and industries such as ST, ASM and Leonardo
Sweden: Lund University, Linköping University, Chalmers University of Technology and KTH Royal Institute of Technology
Lund University (LU), Linköping University (LiU), and Chalmers University of Technology (Chalmers) form the C3NiT (National Interuniversity Competence Centre), which combines the research and innovation efforts in the field of III-nitrides electronics. KTH hold high specialization in the field of bipolar SiC power devices.
Finland: SIPFAB (Wide-Bandgap Pilot Line at Tampere)
SIPFAB, based at Tampere University, specializes in III-V assembly, electronic design and testing, with a focus on packaging and validation of WBG devices. It develops tailored solutions for high-power modules, RF applications and harsh environments. SIPFAB collaborates with Finnish infrastructures such as the Microscopy Center, Micronova (Aalto, VTT) and Finnlight, ensuring open access and effective knowledge transfer between research and industry.
Poland: IHPP PAS and Łukasiewicz-IMiF
IHPP PAS collaborates worldwide on nitride semiconductors, with strong ties to Nagoya University (JP), Fraunhofer IAF (DE) and University of Strathclyde (UK). It has broad experience in GaN device technologies through European projects. Łukasiewicz-IMiF has taken part in FP6 and FP7 grants on nitride devices, partnering with Trinity College (IR), CNRS (FR), AIXTRON (DE) and more, and provides advanced GaN research services to companies in Poland and Germany.
Austria: Silicon Austria Labs (SAL)
Silicon Austria Labs (SAL) is a leading non-university research center for electronic-based systems, bridging basic research and industrial deployment along the value chain. Its expertise includes RF MEMS microfabrication and epitaxial thin-film deposition. Operating under a public-private partnership, SAL offers a Cooperative Research (SCR) model: 50/50 co-financed projects with industry, enabling fast TRL2–6 collaborations. SAL also partners through contractual and publicly funded research.
Germany: Fraunhofer IISB (Institute for Integrated Systems and Device Technology)
Fraunhofer IISB conducts research along the whole value chain from semiconductor materials development, devices, packaging to electrical modules and systems creating a power electronic backbone for Si, SiC and Nitrides. Roughly 80% of the revenue stems from contractual research with major semiconductor industry as well as OEMs worldwide and from publicly financed research projects with partners all over the world.
France – CEA-Leti
CEA-Leti (Laboratoire d'électronique et de technologie de l'information) was founded in 1967 as a governmental research organization. Its primary mission is to create innovation and transfer it to industry in the field of micro and nanotechnologies and its applications (advanced microelectronics technology, sensors and micro systems, power components, photonics and optics technology, communication and information processing technology, imaging and medical device technology, etc.).
