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SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY The essential chip manufacturing experts will come from "Silicon Saxony"

From TU Chemnitz 2 min Reading Time

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The TU Chemnitz (Germany) introduces the Master's program "Design and Test for Integrated Circuits," training urgently needed specialists for the semiconductor industry. The nationwide unique program for highly demanded experts in circuit design and testing starts in Winter Semester 2024/25.

With the new degree program, TU Chemnitz is setting new standards in the training of specialists in the field of circuit design and testing and is contributing to the further development of the Silicon Saxony region.(Source: Artofinnovation - stock.adobe.com)
With the new degree program, TU Chemnitz is setting new standards in the training of specialists in the field of circuit design and testing and is contributing to the further development of the Silicon Saxony region.
(Source: Artofinnovation - stock.adobe.com)

In a significant announcement, Taiwanese semiconductor giant TSMC revealed plans in the summer of 2023 to establish a plant in Dresden's "Silicon Saxony", creating approximately 2,000 new jobs. Additionally, established companies in the region, such as Infineon, ELMOS, and Rohde&Schwarz, continuously express a high demand for engineers in microelectronics. To ensure the functionality of these companies' chips, which are used in smartphones, screens, and electric vehicles, test engineers are indispensable. The new English-language Master’s program “Design and Test for Integrated Circuits,” starting in the winter semester of 2024/25 at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology at Chemnitz University of Technology (TUC), addresses this need.

The unique program is spearheaded by the Chair of Circuit and System Design at TUC. “Our new program is unique nationwide. While aspects of circuit design are covered in various existing programs, we cover the entire chain from design to manufacturing support to testing in a fully integrated program,” says program director Prof. Dr. Ulrich Heinkel. To ensure optimal study conditions and practical insights, the practice laboratory of the Chair of Circuit and System Design is equipped with two full-scale production test machines from Advantest, allowing for comprehensive chip test runs. Additionally, clean rooms and specialized equipment from the Center for Microtechnologies and the neighboring Smart Systems Campus with the Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Nano Systems ENAS are available for student projects.

Chemnitz as a hub for essential chip manufacturing experts

Test engineers play a crucial role in chip manufacturing by checking intermediate and final products for accuracy and providing immediate feedback to process control. Even the smallest errors in manufacturing can have catastrophic consequences as the entire electronic product may fail. Therefore, test runs must occur in parallel with production, and test structures must be integrated into the silicon during design. The better and faster the test programs and structures, the more efficient the entire production process.

To provide a practical study experience, the Chair of Circuit and System Design has converted a room in the Weinhold-Bau of TUC into a practice laboratory where the test machines are housed. Here, students can go through all phases of chip testing. “Our students learn not only chip design but also how to write test programs to verify all chip functions,” says Matthias Sauppe, Research Assistant at the Chair of Circuit and System Design. “We also teach how to test chips under time pressure. Test time is precious, and future professionals must manage this efficiently in real production environments, as stopping production is not an option,” Sauppe continues.

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