Members

Airbus Defence and Space

Airbus pioneers sustainable aerospace for a safe and united world. The Company constantly innovates to provide efficient and technologically-advanced solutions in aerospace, defence, and connected services. In commercial aircraft, Airbus offers modern and fuel-efficient airliners and associated services. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions and services worldwide. Airbus is also a European leader in defence and security and one of the world’s leading space businesses.

The Airbus Defence and Space Division employs 33,000 people and generates revenues of 10,186 m€ (2021). It`s business segments are Military Air Systems, Unmanned Aerial Systems, Space Systems and Connected Intelligence, with headquarters in Munich-Ottobrunn.

https://www.airbus.com/en/products-services/defence

AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH

AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH is the European leader and emerging global power in development and production of high efficiency solar cell products for space and terrestrial CPV applications. Many commercial Telecommunication Space Programs rely on AZUR solar cells for critical on orbit solar power. In cooperation with ESA, NASA and DLR solar cell products have been developed and provided for a range of scientific missions in deep space. We are product supplier for AIRBUS Defence and Space, Thales Alenia Space, ESA, the North American solar power products market and China, Japan and India as well.  

AZUR also produces other some opto-electronic devices, such as light-emitting diodes or laser power converters.

AZUR SPACE employs about 300 highly trained, energetic and dedicated associates to

design, develop, engineer, build, test and deliver epitaxial wafers, solar cells and solar cell assemblies. The factory includes our cutting-edge crystalline layer growth chambers to create a multi-junction space solar cell structure. Grown wafers are processed into solar cells, applying metallization, anti-reflective coating and dicing cells from the round wafer forms into final cell designs. Our products are space qualified (ECSS) and our factory is ISO9001 & ISO 9100 certified.

AZUR SPACE today builds the world’s highest efficient four-junction space solar cells which convert nearly 32% of the available energy into power and will do so at an improved cost per watt compared to other existing technologies. Further product advantages include reduced product thickness down to 80 µm, product cell size flexibility based on 100 mm and 150 mm wafers (up to 83 cm2 per device enabling reduced laydown costs), improved end-of-life power retention (enabling up to 10% higher end of life performance relative to other competing products), and multiple protection diode configurations allowing customer design choices cost reduction opportunities.

FBH

The ‘Ferdinand-Braun-Institut’ (FBH) is an application-oriented research institute in the fields of high-frequency electronics, photonics and quantum physics. It researches electronic and optical components, modules and systems based on compound semiconductors. R&D includes high-frequency devices and circuits for communications, power electronics, and sensor technology. Moreover, FBH develops light sources from the visible to the UV spectral range: high-power diode lasers, UV light sources, and hybrid laser systems. Applications range from medical technology, materials processing and sensors to optical communications in space and integrated quantum technology.

The FBH is a center of competence for III-V compound semiconductors covering the full range of capabilities, from design through fabrication to device characterization. In close cooperation and strategic partnerships with industry, FBH’s research results lead to cutting-edge products as well as market-oriented processes and services. The institute offers its international customer base complete solutions and know-how as a one-stop agency – from design to ready-to-use modules and prototypes.

Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute HHI

Innovations for the digital society of the future are the focus of research and development work at the Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute HHI. In this area, Fraunhofer HHI is a world leader in the development of mobile and optical communication networks and systems, fiber optical sensor systems as well as the processing and coding of video signals.

The Photonic Component Department (PC) researches optochips and Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) for 100+ Gbit/sec data transmission and detection and sensor applications. The HHI offers initial production volumes in ISO certified, qualified production. Furthermore, HHI offers e-beam services, and design-to-spec diffractive optical elements. The focus of semiconductor material is Indium Phosphide InP.

The 1.2-1.9 µm wavelength range is important for sensing applications. Here, telecom technology based lasers and detectors are in the portfolio serving applications from industrial combustion sensing to satellite-to-satellite optical communication.

Fraunhofer IAF

The Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics IAF is one of the world’s leading research institutions in the fields of III-V semiconductors and synthetic diamond. Based on these materials, Fraunhofer IAF develops components for future-oriented technologies, such as electronic circuits for innovative communication and mobility solutions, laser systems for real-time spectroscopy, novel hardware components for quantum computing as well as quantum sensors for industrial applications.
With its research and development, the Freiburg research institute covers the entire value chain – from materials research, design and processing to modules, systems and demonstrators.

Freiberger Compound Materials GmbH

Freiberger Compound Materials was founded in 1995, as a spin-off of VEB Spurenmetalle Freiberg, which was established already in 1957. Later that year FCM was sold to “Federmann Enterprises Ltd.”, one of the leading Israeli enterprises with diversified worldwide activities. During the last 25 years more than 145 Mio. € were invested to build-up a modern facility.

The current portfolio of FCM includes semi-insulating (SI) and semi-conducting (SC) GaAs single crystals and wafers, produced by the Vertical Gradient freeze (VGF) and Liquid Encapsulated Czochralski (LEC) crystal growth techniques (explanation see below), with a diameter of up to 8”. The wafer surfaces are generally epi-ready (extremely low contamination) i.e. their quality is suitable for direct use in epitaxy processes. Simultaneously, FCM develops new technologies for GaAs, InP and GaN wafer production in order to provide materials for very important semiconductor applications.

At present FCM is the only vendor of SI-GaAs in Europe and the global market leader with a share of more than 50 % of the world market. The market share of SC-GaAs currently is still lower. Triggered by the growth of the market, FCM is currently expanding its headquarter in Freiberg.

FCM’s guiding principle for all business processes is „Reliability, flexibility, and creativity at all times and in all cases”. With ca. 300 employees and only a manufacturing company located in Germany, FCM strives to defend its leading position in the global market by setting trends and developing growth opportunities. Thus, we contribute to technological sovereignty of the EU. Environmental awareness and ecological sustainability are the main factors that determine our conduct of business.

Hensoldt Sensors GmbH

HENSOLDT is a German champion in the defence industry with a leading market position in Europe and a global reach. Headquartered in Taufkirchen near Munich/Germany, the company develops sensor solutions for defence and security applications. HENSOLDT’s main areas of activity include intelligence and reconnaissance sensors, solutions for controlling the electromagnetic spectrum and mission avionics systems. The company combines various mission-critical sensor technologies to create package solutions that allow detection capabilities to be substantially improved through sensor and data fusion. In this way, HENSOLDT helps to avert threats to armed forces and society. As a technology leader, HENSOLDT also continuously expands its Cyber portfolio and develops new products to combat a wide range of threats based on innovative approaches to artificial intelligence, sensor data fusion and cybersecurity.

With more than 5,600 employees, HENSOLDT generated revenues of 1.2 billion euros in 2020. HENSOLDT is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and the SDAX stock market index there.

JENOPTIK Optical Systems GmbH

JENOPTIK Optical Systems is Part of the Advanced Photonic Solutions (APS) division of Jenoptik. APS is a global OEM and machine supplier of solutions powered by photonics. Our engineering expertise excels across a broad portfolio of technologies in the fields of optics, laser technology, digital imaging, optoelectronics, sensors, as-well-as optical test, and measurement equipment. We enable leading machine and equipment manufacturers in the semiconductor, laser material processing, life science and biophotonics, industrial automation, automotive and security industries.

As a reliable and flexible development and production partner, we apply our strengths in key technologies to solve our customers’ most demanding requirements. Our systems, modules and components put our customers in the lead by helping them master their future challenges through the power of light.

The production area SemiFab in Berlin manufactures laser semiconductors that are used for the development and production of high-power diode lasers. The semiconductor material is mainly used in medical, but also industrial applications that require the highest laser power, efficiency, and reliability.

OSRAM

The object of ams-OSRAM AG is the development, production and distribution of electronic products, in particular integrated circuits (microsystems) and other microelectronic products, and the provision of related services, the trade in such products and the brokerage of such transactions, as well as the acquisition of relevant production machines and devices.

As ams OSRAM, we create a global leader in optical solutions by providing international industrial capacity in sensor and light technologies at the transformative edge. We add intelligence to light and passion to innovation, enriching our lives. We continuously advance our technologies in sensing, illumination, and visualization, while drawing on a century of experience and the ability to serve the full value chain – from emitters to sensors and software.
Sensing is life.

Vishay

Vishay is the world’s number-one manufacturer of infrared components, with a portfolio that includes infrared receivers, emitters, IrDA transceivers, optocouplers, solid-state relays, and touch panels. Visible LEDs, optical sensors, photo detectors, plasma displays, and 7-segment displays complete Vishay’s optoelectronics offerings.

UMS

United Monolithic Semiconductors (UMS) is the European leader in offering RF MMIC products and foundry services for specialised markets, including Defence and Space, telecommmunications, automotive radar and industrial sensors.

United Monolithic Semiconductors (UMS) is the result of a more than 40-year long tradition of R&D in the RF/microwaves and semiconductor domains, both in France and Germany. It was actually founded in 1996 by the combination of III-V activities from Thomson CSF (Thales) in France and DASA and TEMIC (Airbus Defense & Space) in Germany, with the objective of securing access to strategic technologies for defense and space European programs through state-of-the-art products and a foundry services offering .

Today, UMS is known in the industry to be serving advanced applications and solutions like active antennas for defense, space or telecoms, radars for automotive or point-to-point transmission for 5G networks. UMS own industrial base is in Europe, located in Germany (Ulm), where we manufacture our wafers and develop our III-V technologies, and in France (Paris area), where our products are designed, evaluated and finally tested in our back-end facilities.

UMS business model is based on our ability to combine this large portfolio of 15 GaN and GaAs technologies with the possibility to use external foundries for Si/SiGe technologies, to offer the solution that best fits our customers’ needs and to deliver either single or multi-chip modules in millions of high runners or very small quantities.

UMS serving very demanding customers worldwide, UMS is consistently recognized in the semiconductors industry for its technological excellence, its high quality standard, its participation to many leading European collaborative projects and its wide range of catalog products (bare die or SMD QFN leadless package) exceeding 100GHz with solutions based on GaAs, GaN, SiGe and RF-CMOS technologies.  The company is certified ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and IATF 16949.