Microsystems Technology may deal with small circuits, but its significance for Germany as a centre of industry is enormous: 680,000 jobs depend directly on microsystems technology. This large number also reflects the international leadership of this sector, which needs to be rigorously defended against international competition. The Centre for Microsystems Technology (ZEMI) is also getting itself fit for this challenge by engaging in cooperation and knowledge exchange with South Korea.

Expanding the packaging technology

For some two years now, scientists and researchers from the German capital have been in regular contact with their colleagues in Seoul. In November 2006, ZEMI attended a specialist meeting on Microsystems Technology, and organised the workshop "Optical Technology and Microsystems Technology in Germany and Korea". This marked the start for contacts between micro researchers and developers from both countries, in particular in the fields of "diode laser systems" and "packaging and joining technology integrated circuit packaging." The return visit by the Korean colleagues from the Changwon Cluster Development Agency already took place at the end of 2006. In 2007, representatives from the Korea Industrial Technology Foundation also travelled to the German capital. The same year saw the researchers from Berlin once again participate with a stand at the Technology Trade Fairs NANO KOREA and CLEO Pacific KOREA.

The contacts that developed from this have already produced concrete projects, such as cooperation on production between the  German company Eagleyard Photonics, which is a partner in the network, and a Korean global player, plus a Korean packaging specialist. Cooperation with the Cluster OPERA led to a joint book project with the Korean Professor El-Hang Lee on "VSLI Photonics." In September this year the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration (IZM) and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology additionally organised an international workshop together. During this several-day science meeting, the Fraunhofer Institute also opened its office in Seoul – a further contact point for productive collaboration.