Chemnitz: New Cryo-Lab for Materials and Electronics Packaging

In quantum computers, ions prefer to be isolated and kept at freezing temperatures, because to achieve optimal performance, they must be as isolated as possible from their surroundings. Only then can quantum operations be performed on them without interference. To achieve this, the ions are confined in a trap by electric fields, and the entire ion trap is cooled in a high vacuum to a temperature of less than 10 Kelvin (just above absolute zero). Quantum computers based on such ion traps are currently of great interest in industry and science, particularly with regard to their miniaturization. This requires new concepts, materials, and technologies for heterogeneous system integration. This expertise is a strategic priority of the European Chips Act and will now be strengthened in Chemnitz and further developed for new areas of application. This effort is being led by Chemnitz University of Technology and the Chemnitz-based Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Nanosystems ENAS, in collaboration with partner institutes of the German Microelectronics Research Factory (FMD).

Thanks to an investment project by Fraunhofer ENAS, funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Aviation, state-of-the-art equipment was procured, including two specialized cooling devices—so-called cryostats—a cryogenic materials testing system for determining thermomechanical properties, and a cryogenic scanning electron microscope for material analysis at extremely low temperatures. This equipment is now jointly operated by Fraunhofer ENAS and Chemnitz University of Technology. As part of the European Test and Reliability Center (ETRC), CRYME strengthens the close collaboration between Fraunhofer ENAS and the FMD, the Chair of Materials and Reliability of Microtechnological Systems, the Center for Micro- and Nanotechnologies (ZfM), and the Research Center for Materials, Architectures, and Integration of Nanomembranes (MAIN) at Chemnitz University of Technology. The new laboratory is located at the MAIN Research Center. The new helium liquefaction plant at the neighboring Institute of Physics also plays an important role, as some of CRYME’s cryostats are powered by liquid helium.

“As a key technology of the 21st century, quantum computing also stands for technological leadership, high-quality jobs, and cutting-edge research. That is why the Chemnitz researchers involved in CRYME view the new laboratory as an essential building block for innovation, new large-scale research projects, excellent teaching, and attracting the next generation of scientists,” says Prof. Dr. Bernhard Wunderle, holder of the Chair of Materials and Reliability of Microtechnical Systems. At the same time, he notes that the collaboration taking place here is a prime example of successful cooperation on the “Smart Systems Campus” in Chemnitz.

Dr. Remi Pantou, head of the “Characterization and Analytics” group at Fraunhofer ENAS and laboratory director of CRYME, adds: “CRYME’s new facilities are a key factor for collaborative projects with industry partners, as the complexity of this specialized research laboratory is unique in Germany and Europe. Several companies have expressed interest in collaborating. Specific collaborative projects have already begun, and further initiatives are in the planning stages.”

The new laboratory will be officially opened on September 2, 2026, as part of a two-day event called the “Chemnitz Seminars,” held under the theme “Testing and Reliability Between Ice and Fire: New Laboratories and Methods from 4 K to 700 K.”