For the latest generation of micro-fabricated devices that are currently being developed, no suitable in-line production inspection equipment is available, simply because current inspection equipment expects planar processing while most of the devices are often highly 3D in nature e.g. medical. This lack of automated processing feedback makes it difficult to steer process development towards higher yields in micro-components and MEMS production. Another visible problem is the need to document and record process data, even on the individual device level, with the degree of traceability as is required for example, for medical devices fabricated under ISO13485. Both factors in the end limit the possibility of reliable and cost effective manufacturing of MEMS and micro-components. Thus, CITCOM has been proposed to address the industrial needs of MEMS and micro-manufacturing which will offer an in-line production inspection and measurement system for micro-components. The system will be developed and demonstrated at TRL7. The system will be based on optical and X-ray techniques combined with computer tomography and advance robotic system capable of analyzing defects that occur in production of micro components e.g. stains, debris, fracture, abnormal displacements, chemical composition of surface coatings, surface traces etc. enabling 98% yield and 100% reliability. Ultimately, CITCOM will cut such costs by 60% as it will offer a system with automated knowledge and inspection data based process feedback that will allow the detection and traceability of faults that may occur in MEMS production, especially for critical applications like aerospace, space and healthcare. CITCOM will give Europe a technological and competitive advantage in the growing manufacturing and production industry. The consortium behind this action is strongly driven by industrial need and problem having Philips and Microsemi as end users and validators of the technology.

Digitalization has been identified as one of the key enablers for renewal and competitiveness of European manufacturing industries. However, grasping the digitalization and IoT-related opportunities can be limited by the harsh environmental conditions of the manufacturing processes and end use environments. The ECSEL-IA 2019 project initiative CHARM aims to contribute to solving this problem by developing ECS technologies that tolerate harsh industrial environments. The project concept centres around real industrial challenges from different types of end use industries. The synergies and impacts arise from similarities in technology solutions serving different applications and industry sectors. The CHARM Use Cases include six different industry sectors, majority of them presented by innovative cutting-edge large enterprises that belong to the world-wide market leaders of their own sectors – while most of them being new to the ECSEL ecosystem: mining (Sandvik Mining and Construction Oy, FI), paper mills (Valmet Technologies Oy, FI), machining (Tornos SA, CH), solar panel manufacturing lines (Applied Materials Italia SRL, IT), nuclear power plants maintenance and decommissioning (ÚJV Řež a.s., CZ), and professional digital printing (Océ-Technologies B.V, NL). The planned demonstrators engage these big players with European ECS value chains and showcase capabilities that serve manufacturing industries’ needs at large. The new technologies to be developed include novel multi-gas sensors, robust high temperature and pressure sensors, flexible sensors for paper machine rolls, wireless power transfer systems, connectivity solutions for rotating parts, advanced vision systems, and enablers for autonomous driving. The project consortium includes 12 SMEs, 14 LEs and 12 RTOs, and covers the industrial value chains from simulations, sensors and components to packaging, integration and reliability as well as connectivity, cloud and cyber security solutions.

Computer clock speeds have not increased since 2003, creating a challenge to invent a successor to CMOS technology able to resume performance improvement. The key requirements for a viable alternative are scalability to nanoscale dimensions – following Moore’s Law – and simultaneous reduction of line voltage in order to limit switching power. Achieving these two aims for both transistors and memory allows clock speed to again increase with dimensional scaling, a result that would have great impact across the IT industry. We propose to demonstrate an entirely new low-voltage, memory element that makes use of internal transduction in which a voltage state external to the device is converted to an internal acoustic signal that drives an insulator-metal transition. Modelling based on the properties of known materials at device dimensions on the 15 nm scale predicts that this mechanism enables device operation at voltages an order of magnitude lower than CMOS technology while achieving 10GHz operating speed; power is thus reduced two orders.

Energy ECS “Smart and secure energy solutions for future mobility” will focus on the interface of energy and mobility as well as related ICT and electronics. Central for today’s society, these two sectors are facing the restructuring of technology and business value chains that enable the emergence of completely new business models and ecosystems. The project concept builds on six use cases that represent different angles of future mobility and energy; enablers of new logistics modes, energy independent intermodal transport, charging technologies and opportunities, grid stability responding to bi-directional charging, and enablers of safe autonomous driving. The technology developments respond to a long list of MASP major challenges and include e.g. battery charging electronics, grid and sensor power management, energy harvesting, real time location controls and sensors. The R&D will also apply artificial intelligence, machine learning, immersive technologies, IoT, ultra-low power technologies, advanced algorithms and software. All technologies will be designed for cyber-security and reliability. The consortium includes 16 SMEs, 8 LEs and 6 RTOs from 8 countries. The complementary capabilities allow R&D results that lead to new competitiveness of the partners. By 2030, the project is expected to generate increased turnover by over 1 B€, increased market share and/or market leadership for 24 partners, 130+ new collaborations, 300+ new jobs and 10+ M€ of additional investments. The consortium with half of the partners being SMEs forms a squad of challengers, agile and hungry to grasp the huge business opportunities that emerge in the convergence of the two sectors, supported by large companies fostering the immediate business volume and carefully selected RTOs. The consortium nucleates a new ecosystem of strongly interlinked value networks, the impact towards European competitiveness, growth and innovation capabilities ranging far beyond 2030.