Ohm opens modernized cleanroom for quantum research and additively manufactured electronics

The Bavarian State Minister for Science and Art, Markus Blume, officially opens the renovated cleanroom at the Technical University of Nuremberg together with Ohm President Prof. Dr. Niels Oberbeck and Dr. Andrea Heilmaier, the City of Nuremberg's Commissioner for Economics and Science. (Photo: Axel König / StMWK)

The Bavarian Ministerial Director Dr. Tobias Haaf, Prof. Dr. Marcus Reichenberger, Ohm President Prof. Dr. Niels Oberbeck, the Economic and Science Officer of the City of Nuremberg, Dr. Andrea Heilmaier, Bavarian Minister of Science Markus Blume, Prof. Dr. Rainer Engelbrecht, Prof. Dr. Bernd Braun, Prof. Dr. Andreas Stute (from left) in front of the modernized cleanroom at the Technical University of Nuremberg. (Photo: Axel König / StMWK)

The Nuremberg University of Applied Sciences Georg Simon Ohm (Ohm) has jointly opened its extensively modernized cleanroom with Science Minister Markus Blume. Equipped with state-of-the-art large-scale equipment, the university thus enhances its research activities in the forward-looking fields of optical quantum technologies and additive electronics manufacturing.

The Free State of Bavaria, the EU, and the German Research Foundation are funding the expansion of the infrastructure and related research work with several million euros, thereby creating the prerequisites to translate quantum research results into industrial applications.

Markus Blume, Bavarian State Minister for Science and Art, emphasized: “Here, a cleanroom becomes a space of possibilities for the technologies of tomorrow. At Ohm, the conditions are being created to bring quantum research directly from the laboratory into application – and to turn scientific excellence into tangible value creation. Where research is conducted today with the highest precision, the foundations are being laid for applications of the future. The fact is: the transfer from research to practice determines our technological competitiveness. Bavaria is deliberately investing in such key infrastructures and consistently expanding its quantum ecosystem – from research to industry. This strengthens our technological sovereignty and brings innovation into practice more quickly.”

Quantum technologies are considered key technologies for high-performance computers, eavesdrop-proof communication in critical infrastructures, and highly sensitive sensors, for example in medical technology or semiconductor production. They require highly precise optical components such as lasers, fiber optic systems, special filters, and micro-optics to generate, manipulate, and detect quantum states intentionally.

Professor Dr. Niels Oberbeck, President of Ohm, said: “Through the modernization of our cleanroom, we are creating a central infrastructure at Ohm to further develop quantum technologies from scientific ideas to industrial applications. The targeted investments by the Free State of Bavaria, the EU, and the German Research Foundation enable us, together with partners from science and industry, to make a sustainable contribution to the technological sovereignty and innovation capacity of Bavaria.”

In the modernized cleanroom at Ohm, micro-optical systems, fiber optic components, and color centers in diamonds are being researched with the latest large-scale equipment. Additionally, additive electronics manufacturing forms another research focus: here, innovative digital printing processes are used to produce electronic components and functional structures directly and efficiently. These so-called enabling technologies are a central prerequisite for translating basic research results into industrially usable applications – for example, for future quantum computers. The cleanroom thus provides the infrastructural prerequisites to systematically advance the transfer of research results in cooperation with science and industry partners.

The research work is funded with two million euros as part of the “Program to Strengthen Interdisciplinary Teaching and Research Capacities in the Field of Quantum Sciences and Technologies” by the Bavarian State Ministry for Science and Art. The fundamental renovation of the over 30-year-old cleanroom was carried out with an additional 500,000 euros from the Free State of Bavaria and with the university’s own funds.

In addition, researchers successfully secured third-party funding for key large-scale equipment: a two-photon nanolithography system and a femtosecond laser workstation, each costing a total of 1.3 million euros, funded equally by the Free State of Bavaria and the German Research Foundation (DFG), and put into operation last month. Also included is an existing multimaterial 3D printer worth 410,000 euros, which is also integrated into the modernized cleanroom. A further 750,000 euros come from EU funds via the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), supporting knowledge transfer especially to small and medium-sized enterprises. With this equipment, Ohm is establishing a technology platform of high strategic importance for future research and transfer projects.

The cleanroom is used by the faculties of Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Information Technology (efi), Applied Mathematics, Physics, and General Sciences (AMP), as well as at the Polymer Optical Fiber Application Center (POF-AC) and the Institute for Chemistry, Material, and Product Development (OHM CMP) for research projects, ongoing doctoral programs, and teaching in bachelor’s and master’s degree programs.

As an associated member of the Munich Quantum Valley, the university makes a substantial contribution to the further development and application of quantum technologies in Bavaria and beyond. At the same time, the existing research focus “Materials and Production Technology” is being strengthened and expanded to include a highly topical, internationally rapidly growing scientific field.