The project is part of a major effort to develop European semiconductor production and focuses on developing and providing new packaging and integration solutions for the industry.
The APECS (Advanced Packaging and Heterogeneous Integration for Electronic Components and Systems) pilot line, as part of the EU Chips Act programme, is intended to promote European semiconductor manufacturing capability and chip innovation. The pilot line will focus on the development of reliable packaging solutions for microchips and innovative combinations of semiconductor materials and technologies, as well as chiplet integration.
The APECS pilot line will also provide technologies to help develop technology and innovation and will be coordinated by the Fraunhofer.
Among those organisations involved in the pilot line projects that aim to improve and develop semiconductor production is VTT, the research, development and innovation hub.
"In the APECS project, VTT will focus in particular on the radio frequency technologies required for the 6G network and on the development and demonstration of optical microsystems and chip packaging methods," explained Tauno Vähä-Heikkilä, Vice President, Microelectronics and Quantum Technologies at VTT.
VTT is also involved with several other European pilot projects including The FAMES and NanoIC pilot lines that are run by CEA-Leti of France and imec of Belgium.
The pilot lines provide services to companies to develop products and scale them up for production. Technologies under development include the latest transistor and RF technologies, new memory technologies and packaging technologies.
VTT's activities in the European APECS, FAMES and NanoIC pilot lines will be based in Kvanttinova for which the Finnish government has granted EUR 79 million in funding to build shared pilot lines.
Kvanttinova is an RDI Hub in microelectronics and quantum technology, jointly developed by VTT, Aalto University and the City of Espoo.
VTT's shared-use cleanroom enables domestic companies to develop and pilot microelectronics components, systems and innovation and scale them up for production. The first semiconductor processes in Finland will start up towards the end of 2026.
In addition, the European Commission has announced the creation of PIXEurope, a new pilot line for photonic chips. It is coordinated by ICFO, the Institute of Photonic Sciences in Barcelona and VTT is among the participants of the PIXEurope consortium and is developing low-loss thick-SOI integrated photonics for the pilot line's offering.
The EUR 29 million funding from the EU and the Finnish government for the APECS pilot line will focus on VTT's shared-use cleanroom facilities and the development of semiconductor manufacturing processes.
