Research Centers and Affiliated Institutes
Research Centers
To utilize synergies within the Faculty of Engineering and with other faculties, research activities have been bundled in centers. In this context, the Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology is involved in the following research centers:
CENIDE Center for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen
As a central scientific institution, CENIDE represents a research profile of the University of Duisburg-Essen. It forms an interdisciplinary network of creative minds that promotes interdisciplinary cooperation and helps bridge the gap between basic academic research and industrial implementation. CENIDE coordinates and promotes scientific progress in chemistry, physics, engineering, biology and medicine with a focus on catalysis, dynamic processes in solids, gas phase synthesis of nanomaterials, magnetic materials, nanomaterials for health and nanotechnology in energy applications.
NETZ NanoEnergieTechnikZentrum
The NanoEnergieTechnik-Zentrum (NETZ), is part of the Center for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen (CENIDE). Here physicists, chemists and engineers research new materials for energy applications and develop scalable processes for their production and processing. For this purpose, the researchers in NETZ map the entire chain from the synthesis of nanomaterials and their connection to macroscopic structures to demonstrators and components. The NETZ is the hub for scientists from the University of Duisburg-Essen and cooperating institutions working on nano-energy.
ICAN Interdisciplinary Center for Analytics on the Nanoscale
The DFG Instrument Center ICAN at the University of Duisburg-Essen combines instruments, methods and expertise in nanoscale analysis. Here, basic scientific research flows into the application-oriented development of new materials. This requires extensive analytical methods to optimize the processing and structure of materials and to understand the underlying mechanisms. Only in this way can tailor-made materials with defined properties be produced in a targeted manner. Studies of this kind require an unusual combination of expertise and experimental facilities.
Affiliated and Associated Institutes
These institutes are important elements of applied research at the faculty and form elementary links to the economy. The aim of the institutes is both the transfer of new scientific findings and methods into industrial processes, procedures and products (technology push) and the identification of market requirements or the solution of problems in the industrial sector by recourse to scientific findings and methods (market pull). The institutes are organizationally and legally independent research institutions. They are affiliated to the University of Duisburg-Essen, but are organized under private law. Due to their close contacts to industry, they are also important motors for the acquisition of third-party funds for the faculty.
Institute for Mobile and Satellite Communication
IMST GmbH (Institute for Mobile and Satellite Radio Technology) is a competence centre and professional development house for high-frequency circuits, antenna technology, radio modules and communication systems. IMST was founded in 1992 and today employs 165 people in the fields of application-oriented research for radio communication and radar systems as well as microsystems technology and nanoelectronics, industrial contract development, production and product testing. A core competence of IMST is the field of electronically steerable antennas for mobile satellite communication with focus on 5G. IMST takes up innovations - based on the generally accessible university knowledge base - and tries to develop marketable and high-quality products and solutions for customers. This application-oriented research and development forms central crystallization points for participation in EU research alliances.
Fraunhofer Institute for Microelectronic Circuits and Systems
The Fraunhofer IMS has been conducting research, development and pilot production of microelectronic solutions for users from industry and society since 1984. The second main pillar are customers from the semiconductor industry. Stable, efficient and marketable developments are in the focus. Therefore, the IMS has grouped its activities into different business areas: Devices and Technologies, ASICs, High Temperature Electronics, IR Imagers, CMOS Image Sensors, Pressure Sensor Systems, Biohybrid Systems, Wireless and Transponder Systems and Electronic Assistance Systems. The Fraunhofer IMS employs about 250 people, most of whom have a scientific or engineering background.
German Aerospace Center
The research focus of the Institute of Materials Research of the German Aerospace Center e.V. (DLR) is the development of new material solutions and their process technologies for applications in the aerospace, energy and automotive sectors. In cooperation with other DLR institutes and national and international partners, the Institute of Materials Research works on basic and applied research.
The research portfolio extends along the areas of metallic structures, hybrid systems and intermetallics, structural and functional ceramics, thermoelectric systems, aerogels and aerogel composites, and high-temperature and functional coatings.
Around 100 employees work at the research institute, almost two thirds of them as scientists and one third in technical or administrative positions.
Forschungszentrum Jülich
Shaping change: This is what drives us at Forschungszentrum Jülich. As a member of the Helmholtz Association with roughly 6,400 employees, we conduct research into the possibilities of a digitized society, a climate-friendly energy system, and a resource-efficient economy. We combine natural, life and engineering sciences in the fields of information, energy, and the bioeconomy with specialist expertise in high-performance computing and we also use unique scientific infrastructure.
ZEA-2:
The Central Institute of Engineering, Electronics and Analytics – Electronic Systems (ZEA-2) is a scientific institute of Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH which carries out research and development projects in cooperation with the institutes of the research center and external partners. The focus of the work is on electronic and information technology system solutions in sensor and detector technology, signal and data processing, as well as measurement technology. Silicon-based System-on-Chip (SoC), i.e. highly integrated solutions, are preferred.
More about ZEA-2
IEK-5:
The Institute for Energy and Climate Research 5 – Photovoltaics (IEK-5) conducts research on novel materials and devices for sustainable photovoltaics. On the one hand, we investigate the fundamental properties of relevant material systems, such as metal-halide perovskites, molecular semiconductors and various functional oxides. On the other hand, technological applications are developed, e.g. passivation and contact layers for high-efficiency silicon heterostructure solar cells or for applications in the field of solar water splitting. IEK-5 operates a lab in the NETZ building of the UDE, where we further develop organic solar cells as well as evaluation procedures for electrical and optoelectronic measurement methods.
More about IEK-5