TU/e combines institute and initiatives focused on semicon
The new institute organizes research in four substantive areas that together cover the entire innovation ecosystem.
Published on June 22, 2025
The TeraNova measuring system inspects a wafer used to make tiny lenses and optical structures. Photo: Bart van Overbeeke
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Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) is establishing a new research institute that will focus entirely on research into semiconductors, quantum, photonics, and the development of the high-tech systems and chips of the future. With this new institute, TU/e aims to play a pioneering role in strengthening Dutch and European technological independence.
The new institute combines one existing institute, the Eindhoven Hendrik Casimir Institute (EHCI), with two initiatives: the High Tech Systems Center (HTSC) and the Future Chips Flagship (FCF). These separate entities will be fully integrated into the new entity, which will continue, connect, and deepen their work within the broader strategic direction of the university.
The ambition of the new institute is in line with recent policy initiatives such as the European Chips Act and the Draghi report. Both emphasize the importance of Europe maintaining control over the development, production, and application of key technologies that will determine the coming decades.
Europe is vulnerable
Europe is currently heavily dependent on non-European parties for chips, high-tech production equipment, and critical raw materials. This makes us vulnerable to geopolitical tensions and disruptions in the supply chain. Furthermore, there is a risk of losing influence on technological standards and ethical frameworks in the fields of AI, energy efficiency, data storage, raw material scarcity, and sustainable production.
With the establishment of this new institute, TU/e is directly contributing to Europe's need to remain a leader in high-tech.
“The rapidly changing geopolitical relations worldwide and in Europe require a strong commitment from all European players. A strong research and innovation system is essential for the competitiveness of our continent,” says Silvia Lenaerts, Rector Magnificus of TU/e. “Chips and high-tech systems are much more than just a driver of digital innovation; they determine our economic strength, geopolitical resilience, and global sustainability.”
A single point of contact
The new institute brings together more than 700 researchers in the fields of chip technology, high-precision equipment, advanced materials and processes, and the fundamental research that underpins these domains. Researchers working in one of the affiliated disciplines can find each other more quickly, share their insights more easily, and collaborate more easily across their separate fields.
By bringing together research on emerging technologies in this institute, TU/e offers the outside world a single point of contact in the field of the above technologies. For scientists in the Netherlands and abroad, this institute should become the place to go for knowledge exchange and collaboration.
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At the same time, the new institute contributes to translating scientific knowledge into innovative applications. Through start-ups, spin-offs, and agreements with industry partners, technological discoveries find their way into society more quickly. In this way, TU/e is strengthening its position as a key player in the European innovation landscape, whether in AI and climate solutions, healthcare, digital industry, or complex systems engineering.
Four domains
The institute organizes its research around four substantive domains that together cover the entire innovation ecosystem: from fundamental research to industrial applications.
- Future Chips: This includes TU/e's groundbreaking research into advanced chip technologies, including heterogeneous integration, energy-efficient architectures, and new paradigms in computing, communication, and sensor technology. This includes neuromorphic computing, integrated photonic systems, and other emerging technologies that are redefining the boundaries of conventional electronics.
- High Precision Equipment: Research into energy-efficient, fast, and accurate production systems. The use of digital twins also plays a role, enabling processes to be improved through simulations and potential malfunctions to be prevented in advance.
- Advanced Materials & Processes: Materials research and production processes across all length scales, from macro to nano (i.e., from large to atomistically small). Indispensable for the production of next-generation chips and photonic applications.
- Foundations: Fundamental research in mathematics, physics, and computer science that contributes to technological breakthroughs in areas such as photonics, quantum technology, neuromorphics, and spintronics. This research bridges the gap between theoretical foundations and practical applications and stimulates innovation at the intersection of science and technology.
The domains are intertwined, and researchers working for departments affiliated with the institute are strongly encouraged to collaborate across the boundaries of their disciplines.