TUC department and chair “Materials and Reliability of Microsystems” was established recently. It focuses on material, technological as well as reliability aspects of micro electronic systems and MEMS. It is closely linked to the Micro Materials Center at Fraunhofer IZM and will cooperate with this group during the project. Together, the departments have a longstanding experience in studies on thermal management and reliability in microsystem technology by both simulation (FEM) and experiments (materials testing, micro- and nano-analytical methods) on bulk, interface level and system level. The combination of numerical simulation with experimental methods is one focus of the activities. Joint projects and contracts with partners of the industry for research with regard to reliability of products and technologies are the main focus of the research. In the group exists a wide experience concerning lifetime modelling for different interconnect technologies and most difficult stress problems related to effects in microelectronics and microsystems technology. Project relevant facilities are thermal and mechanical modelling tools and various tools for the characterization of micro-materials like DSC, TGA, TMA, DMA, nano Raman, and nano indentation facilities. A wide experience concerning failure analysis, based on analytical tools like X-ray tomography, SAM, SEM, LSM, Thermoire, and FIB is also present. Based on theoretical modelling on the basis of micro-materials characterization and supported by failure analysis, prediction and optimization of microsystems from a mechanical reliability standpoint is the key role in the project.

Staff Members Profile

Prof. Dr. Bernhard Wunderle studied Physics in Tübingen/Germany, York/England and Salerno/Italy. In 1998 he received his diploma in theoretical physics from the University of Tübingen. From 1999 on he was with Robert Bosch Ltd, where he was concerned with reliability studies in advanced electronic packaging for automotive applications, a work he received his Ph.D. in electronic engineering for from the Technical University of Berlin in 2003. At Fraunhofer he currently leads a group working in the field of material characterisation and reliability in experiment and simulation. He gives lectures at various universities in Germany. His interests and expertise lie with Finite Element modelling, molecular modelling, fracture mechanics and adhesion, nanolayers and nanocomposites. He is also a full professor for materials and reliability at the Technical University of Chemnitz.

Uwe Zschenderlein studied computer science and laser materials science in Dresden/Germany. In 2006 he received his diploma in functional materials. Since 2006 he has been working at Chemnitz University of Technology at the chair “Materials and Reliability of MEMS”. He gives practical training in materials of electrical engineering and MEMS and has experience mainly in the field of x-rays; developing x-ray optics of micro structured silicon and simulating interactions between x-rays and matter.

Daniel May studied Micro System Technology in Berlin, Germany. He received his Diploma Degree from the University of Applied Sciences (FHTW) Berlin in 2004. In 2006, he received his Masters Degree in Computational Engineering from the University of Applied Sciences (TFH) Berlin. During and after his studies he worked in the lab for thermal electrical analysis at IZM. Since 2008 he leads the thermo-electrical testing lab at Fraunhofer. His current focus of interest is in the field of coupled thermo-electrical measurements and transient thermal effects. These methods he uses in the field failure analysis of Package materials. Further activities are FE - analysis amongother things for thermo-mechanical life time models.