News: Optoelectronics
23 June 2025
TU/e establishes new research institute for semiconductors, quantum photonics, and high-tech systems
Technical University of Eindhoven (TU/e) in The Netherlands is establishing a new research institute dedicated to semiconductors, quantum, photonics, and the development of high-tech systems and chips of the future.
The new institute merges one existing institute with two initiatives: the Eindhoven Hendrik Casimir Institute (EHCI), the High Tech Systems Center (HTSC), and the Future Chips Flagship (FCF). These will be fully integrated into the new institute, which will continue, connect and deepen their work within the broader strategic direction of the university.
The aim aligns directly with recent policy initiatives such as the European Chips Act and the Draghi-report. Both underscore the importance of Europe retaining control over the development, production and application of key technologies that will shape the decades to come.
Picture: Postdoctoral researcher Akanksha Kapoor works with 4-inch wafers in a reactor at TU/e. Photo: Bart van Overbeeke.
Leading role in advanced technology
Europe is currently heavily reliant on non-European players for chips, high-tech production equipment, and critical raw materials. This leaves the continent vulnerable to geopolitical tensions and disruptions in supply chains. There is also the risk of losing influence over technological standards and ethical frameworks in areas such as AI, energy efficiency, data storage, resource scarcity, and sustainable production. With the launch of this new institute, TU/e is directly contributing to Europe’s ambition to maintain a leading position in high-end technology.
“The rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape, both globally and within Europe, demands decisive action from all European actors. A strong research and innovation system is essential to safeguarding our continent’s competitiveness,” says Silvia Lenaerts, TU/e's rector magnificus. “Chips and high-tech systems are far more than just engines of digital innovation. They are key to our economic strength, geopolitical resilience, and global sustainability.”
Single, recognisable point of contact
The new institute brings together more than 700 researchers working in chip technology, high-precision equipment, advanced materials and processes, and the fundamental science underpinning these fields. Researchers from the connected disciplines are expected to be able to find each other more easily, share insights more readily, and collaborate more effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
By consolidating research in emerging technologies under one roof, TU/e says that it offers a single, recognisable point of contact in these domains. For researchers in the Netherlands and abroad, the institute is expected to become the go-to destination for knowledge exchange and collaboration.
The institute is also expected to accelerate the translation of scientific insights into innovative applications. Through startups, spin-offs and industry partnerships, technological breakthroughs should find their way to society more quickly, solidifying TU/e’s role as a key player in the European innovation landscape, from AI and climate solutions to healthcare, digital industry, and complex systems engineering.
Expansion of educational programs
“Thanks to our leading research and unique position in the Brainport region, TU/e is perfectly positioned to take the lead in driving sustainable digital innovation,” reckons Lenaerts. “This new institute pools knowledge and talent to push technological boundaries, while strengthening Europe’s resilience and autonomy in a world that seems less predictable than it once was.”
As part of the Beethoven program, TU/e is also significantly expanding its educational offerings in the semiconductor field to tackle one of the sector’s greatest challenges: the shortage of skilled talent.
Four core domains
The institute will organise its research across four core domains that together span the entire innovation ecosystem, from fundamental science to industrial application. The domains are closely interlinked, and researchers affiliated with the institute are actively encouraged to collaborate across disciplinary boundaries.
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