mikroelektronische

Mikroelektronische, in German often written as mikroelektronische Bauelemente or Mikroelektronik, refers to the branch of electronics that deals with devices and circuits at microscopic scales, primarily based on semiconductor technology. The core components include transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, fabricated on substrates such as silicon using microfabrication processes (photolithography, thin-film deposition, etching, diffusion, ion implantation). The result is dense ICs, from simple logic gates to complex microprocessors and memory chips; many systems also integrate MEMS sensors and actuators with electronics.

Historically, the field emerged in the mid-20th century with the invention of the transistor and the development of integrated circuits in the late 1950s. Advances in CMOS technology enabled scalable, low-power devices that underpin modern computing, communications and consumer electronics. Mikroelektronische research and production are global, with significant activity in Germany and Europe, supported by policy initiatives aimed at securing semiconductor supply chains and reinforcing research infrastructures.

Key technologies and materials include lithography (optical and electron-beam), thin-film deposition (CVD, ALD), etching (RIE, DRIE), and doping methods such as ion implantation. Common materials are silicon, silicon-germanium, GaAs, GaN and related compounds for specialty devices. Typical device architectures comprise MOSFETs and FinFETs, diodes, memory cells, and increasingly integrated MEMS components.

Applications span consumer electronics, computing, telecommunications, automotive electronics and medical devices. The outlook emphasizes continued scaling within physical limits, 3D and heterogeneous integration, new materials and device concepts, and ongoing concerns about energy efficiency, manufacturing supply chains and sustainability.