At Fraunhofer IZM, equipment is being prepared for the APECS pilot line. Fraunhofer IZM is one of 14 German research institutes contributing to the development of the pilot line, bringing together expertise, equipment and technologies from across the project. 5 videos show how the APECS pilot line is deployed at Fraunhofer IZM in Berlin.
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With a new automated wafer cleaning system from Siconnex, Fraunhofer IZM is expanding the technological capabilities of the APECS pilot line in Berlin. The system supports research and development in the areas of advanced packaging, chiplet integration, and system integration. Automated wafer cleaning standardizes a process that was previously performed manually, improves workplace safety, and ensures consistently clean surfaces. These surfaces are a crucial foundation for subsequent bonding, packaging, and integration processes in microelectronics. This video kicks off the #BuildingAPECS series. It documents the development of the APECS pilot line as a research infrastructure for advanced packaging and microelectronics at Fraunhofer IZM. Are you interested in new packaging, chiplet, or integration solutions? Learn more about opportunities for collaboration with Fraunhofer IZM, the APECS pilot line, and the Research Fab Microelectronics Germany (FMD).
A new inspection microscope was integrated at Fraunhofer IZM as part of the expansion of the APECS pilot line. The system enables flexible 2D and 3D inspection of wafers, panels, advanced packaging assemblies, and microelectronic components. The time-lapse video documents a process spanning several days: the preparation and renovation of the cleanroom, the delivery, and the integration of the new equipment. Existing systems were protected from potential contamination throughout the process. The inspection microscope expands the analytical capabilities along the microelectronic process chain and supports research in the areas of advanced packaging, chiplet integration, and system integration. In doing so, it strengthens the APECS pilot line as a research infrastructure for advanced packaging and microelectronics.
Research begins long before the first experiment. In early 2026, numerous shipping crates containing a new ashing and etching chamber arrived at Fraunhofer IZM amid temperatures of around −10 °C. The system will become part of the APECS pilot line, a research infrastructure for advanced packaging and microelectronics. Before the components could be integrated into the cleanroom, they had to be unloaded, sorted, unpacked, and prepared for installation. The ashing and etching chamber expands the possibilities for wafer processing and supports research in the fields of advanced packaging, chiplet integration, and system integration. The video shows an often-overlooked aspect of modern research infrastructure: the delivery and preparation of complex equipment, which makes subsequent research and development work possible in the first place.
A new high-precision bonder has been added to the APECS pilot line, a research infrastructure for advanced packaging and microelectronics at Fraunhofer IZM. Moving the bonder through doors, airlocks, and cleanroom areas required careful planning and precise coordination. Building services, the shipping company, machine operators, and the manufacturer worked closely together to safely move the system to its final location. The bonder expands the research capabilities for high-precision bonding technologies. It supports research in the areas of advanced packaging, chiplet integration, and system integration for future microelectronic systems.
A new 3D X-ray microscope was installed at Fraunhofer IZM as part of the expansion of the APECS pilot line. Since the system was too heavy for the freight elevator, it was brought in by crane through a window on the second floor. The microscope enables high-resolution 3D examinations in the submicrometer range. It expands the possibilities for non-destructive analysis of packaging structures, interconnect technologies, and integrated microelectronic systems. The system thus supports research in the fields of advanced packaging, chiplet integration, and system integration, and strengthens the APECS pilot line as a research infrastructure for advanced packaging and microelectronics.
APECS – European pilot line for advanced packaging and heterogeneous integration