Frankfurt (Oder). In December 1983, the Institute for Semiconductor Physics was founded in Frankfurt (Oder). 40 years later, today's IHP – Innovations for High Performance Microelectronics, with its decades of expertise, is one of the most important institutions in the field of semiconductor technology. Internationally, IHP is known as the European research and innovation centre for silicon-based systems, circuits, technologies and materials. Dr Manja Schüle, Minister of Science, Research and Culture of the State of Brandenburg, Prof Jörg Steinbach, Minister of Economics, Labour and Energy of the State of Brandenburg, Dr Jens Brandenburg, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of Education and Research (BMBF), and the Lord Mayor of the City of Frankfurt (Oder), René Wilke, among others, gave welcoming speeches at the celebratory event on 30 November 2023. The event was rounded off by two entertaining science slams (short scientific presentations) and discussions about current IHP research.
In their welcoming speeches, the speakers emphasised the high relevance of IHP within the German and European research landscape. So said Brandenburg's Minister of Science, Dr Manja Schüle: "IHP combines 40 years of local expertise and, above all, a unique infrastructure for microelectronics research that can not only be used as a basis but also built upon. IHP not only researches and develops prototypes for broadband communication, medical technology, space travel, agriculture and mobility - all the major megatrends and megatopics that we face as a society. It also brings these prototypes to application maturity and, together with partners from industry, to market maturity. This makes it clear that the foundations for our future are being laid at IHP."
Dr Jens Brandenburg from the BMBF adds: "IHP has been a driver of innovation for 40 years. Semiconductors and microelectronics are still an indispensable building block for the future. The recent chip crisis has shown how important the Institute's work is for our high-tech society. IHP is a real beacon for science and technology, advancing semiconductor technology with its innovative work, and industry and science continue to benefit from its expertise."
Prof Gerhard Kahmen, Scientific and Technical Director of IHP, praised the employees as the basis of the institute's success and gave an outlook on research in the coming years. Among other things, he spoke about IHP's commitment in the "Lausitz" region: "Our commitment to the Cottbus site is of great importance. These include the Innovation Campus Electronics and Microsensors and the Lausitz Science Park, which is currently under construction. Under the leadership of IHP, a Leibniz site with a laboratory building and office space is being created in the immediate vicinity of the BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg called 'Leibniz @ Lausitz'. The aim is for various Leibniz institutes to work together, but also to exchange ideas with other institutions, including IEG and IPMS from Fraunhofer and DLR. IHP thus directly supports structural change and the dynamisation of Cottbus as a location, as well as the goals of the Leibniz Association. If you look at research holistically, then the commitment in Cottbus will also strengthen Frankfurt (Oder) as a location."
Further Information:
- A Film with pictures from 40 years of IHP history can be found on the IHP homepage and on Youtube:
https://youtu.be/pmmmOPj8pdw?si=QCFds7emYZ3KygQm - Press release of the MWFK with reference to the handover of a funding decision from the Brandenburg package:
https://mwfk.brandenburg.de/mwfk/de/service/pressemitteilungen/ansicht/~30-11-2023-jubilaeum-ihp-frankfurt-oder
