As a contribution to the EU Chips Act, the Research Fab Microelectronics Germany (FMD) proposes an Advanced Packaging and Heterogeneous Integration for Electronic Components and Systems Pilot Line (APECS-PL), which combines the generation of globally competitive high technology that addresses the specific needs of German and European industry and enables a low-threshold, easily scalable industrial transfer. The APECS-PL will include novel characterization, quality assurance, testing & reliability methodologies, test methods to assess the security of microelectronic systems against physical attacks and a System Technology Co Optimization (STCO) framework. Together with the 2 nm GAA (imec), 5 nm FDSOI (Leti) and wide bandgap semiconductor pilot lines also planned within the EU Chips Act, the APECS-PL is also in a position to become an essential component on the way to the vision of a pan-European pilot line facility - and thus an indispensable pillar for achieving the EU Chips Act target of bringing 20% of the global supply of chip production back to Europe. In addition, APECS-PL offers a one-stop shop for a very broad international customer base in basically all classic vertical industrial sectors including large companies, SMEs and technology start-ups. Demonstrators are planned to evaluate how the elements of the pilot line work together. The FMD-OFC office, managed by Fraunhofer as legal entity, is responsible for operational management. As a first step for additional European R&D partners the project partners imec, Leti, VTT, IMB-CNM (CSIC), INL, Forth and TU Graz will be included. The shortage of skilled workers and scientists is of particular interest in the project. Better integration of a gender dimension into research and innovation content will be an essential part of the project. Systematic eco-design that generally minimizes energy and resource consumption is in line with the EU Green Deal.

5G promises increased connectivity, high data rates, and ultimately new services. The first 5G release standard in 3GPP will be available by June 2018 with pre-commercial deployment in Korea soon after. Whilst 5G will meet current demand, the exponential rise in demand for wireless connectivity will ultimately require Tbps connectivity in indoor spaces. The future network will use an all optical fibre core, and an ultra-high data rate wireless ‘bridge’ to the User. WORTECS focuses on the goal of ultra-high data rate wireless. High-frequency mm-wave (in the band above 90 GHz) radio communications will be combined with optical wireless communications in the infrared and visible regions of the optical spectrum, using novel heterogeneous networking concepts. A compelling virtual reality application will be used to showcase the capability of the WORTECS network. The project will deliver two Proof-of-Concept demonstrations. An ultra-high density LiFi/Radio network providing multi-Gbps to virtual reality terminals will be developed, and an ultra-high data rate Proof-of-Concept capable of Tbps networking will also be targeted. WORTECS brings together innovative, world leading LiFi SMEs Oledcomm (France) and PureLiFi (UK), Global telecommunications operator Orange (France) and research institutes BCOM (France) and IHP (Germany). These are joined by university research leaders in optical wireless communications from the University of Oxford (UK) and the University of Las Palmas (Spain). The consortium has the dual ambition of proposing new scientific solutions beyond 5G while transferring these technologies from research labs to industrial world. A successful project will both showcase technologies required to alleviate the radio spectrum crunch, and provide substantial benefits to EU citizens through the exploitation of results by WORTECS commercial partners.