The European Commission has approved funding for a semiconductor manufacturing facility for ams OSRAM under the European Chips Act.
The official funding approval from the Austrian Ministry of Economy and Labour, which is responsible for the payment of the funding, is now expected shortly.
ams OSRAM plans to use the €227m of funding to strengthen the development and production site in Premstaetten, Austria sustainably.
In total, the company plans to invest €567m in the project by 2030, when full production will begin at the headquarters in Premstaetten, Styria.
CEO Aldo Kamper explains that this funding is important for the future of its microchip production and that these are to be used for medical and automotive applications.
The construction of the 1,800 sqm additional cleanroom is for CMOS production
Kamper said: ”The first fab of its kind for next-generation optoelectronic sensors is a key cornerstone of our growth strategy. In line with the objectives set out in the European Chips Act, it will strengthen Europe's security of supply and technological autonomy in the field of semiconductor technologies.”
The facility
In the future, the semiconductor manufacturing facility will produce highly differentiated next-generation optoelectronic sensors that are qualified for applications in medical technology and the automotive industry.
In addition, the production of products for industry or for use in consumer goods is planned.
It combines outstanding technologies (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS), filter and Through Silicon Via (TSV)) and works according to a toolbox concept.
Depending on the product, the different capabilities can be combined individually as required for energy-efficient products for imaging and optoelectronics with a reduced form factor, more functions on a single component and outstanding electrical performance.
The construction of the 1,800 sqm additional cleanroom for CMOS production, will also double filter capacity and increase TSV capacity by a factor of four.
Looking to the future
In view of the global situation in the semiconductor market, it is clear how important it is to invest in innovative key technologies for the future. That is why the European Commission has set itself the goal of promoting the mass production of semiconductors in Europe and increasing the global market share to 20% of production by 2030.
In addition, new chip technologies for the next generation are to be made possible. The European Chips Act was created for this purpose.
The investment of ams OSRAM will help to strengthen European sovereignty in semiconductor production and digitalisation. It will also make an important contribution to the green transition.
Image: Premstatten headquarters
Image credit: ams OSRAM