Context

The well-established research fields and the modern infrastructure of the Faculty of Applied Sciences, the above-average support of the University of Freiburg, the strong commitment of the local industry and the international scientific environment ensure a steep take-off of the PhD program Embedded Microsystems. The additional support contributed from the environment of the program (especially three scholarships sponsored by industry) highlight the general interest in having this program established.

Scientific environment

The ten proposers are members of the Faculty of Applied Sciences with its two Institutes of Microsystem Technology (IMTEK) and computer sciences (IIF) with a total of 29 professors. Such a combination of expertise concentrated in a single location is unique world-wide. The Institute of Microsystem Technology deals with the entire field of materials, technology, sensors, actuators, simulation, instrumentation, and a broad range of application fields. Analogously, the Institute of Computer Science deals with secure hardware and software systems, artificial intelligence and multimedia-based applications. The PhD program offers the chance to benefit from the synergetic effects of this constellation. It makes it possible to closely focus on the various software and hardware aspects. Further, the individual research projects of the PhD program are able to benefit from the interaction with a wide range of experts in microsystem engineering and computer science, beyond the borders of the graduate school. This interaction is facilitated by the proximity on the common campus. Areas of work not directly represented by the PhD program, but beneficial to the program, include image processing, data structures and algorithms, data mining and e learning offered by the Institute of Computer Science and process technology, design of microsystems, chemistry and physics of interfaces, assembly and packaging and simulation offered by the Institute of Microsystem Technology.

Furthermore the following scientific and supporting facilities associated with the Faculty of Applied Sciences are relevant for the PhD program:

• Freiburg Materials Research Center (FMF)
  There is a close cooperation with the Materials Research Center of Freiburg (Freiburger Materialforschungszentrum, FMF). The access to analytic methods owned by this center is facilitated. This is an interesting perspective especially for hardware-based diagnostics and testing issues.
• SFB/Transregio 08 Spatial Cognition – Reasoning, Action, Interaction
  Especially in the field of localization of microsystems there exists an overlap with the SFB/Transregio Spatial cognition (Raumkognition). Several projects of the SFB/Transregio deal with questions concerning the relative localization of robotic platforms. It is expected that the sensors and algorithms developed in the PhD program Embedded Microsystems will be useful, e.g., for the localization of robots during exploration tasks.
• SFB/Transregio 14 Automatic Verification and Analysis of Complex Systems
  This SFB deals with the verification and analysis of security relevant properties of systems that control physical and technical processes. The SFB neither deals with the design, diagnostics and testing of such systems, nor with the integration of sensors and micromechanics into complete information processing systems. Rather, the SFB focuses on methods to establish the mathematical evidence of the correctness of available systems. In this respect the SFB is complementary to the PhD programs' projects in the field of design verification.

In addition the Faculty of Applied Sciences is planning one further PhD program Energy Harvesting and a SFB Microtheranostics.

Industrial environment

The marked interest of the regional industry, both in helping to develop the content of the PhD program and to contribute to new forms of cooperation, is highlighted by three industrial scholarships supplied for the duration of three years by the following companies:

• SICK AG
  The company Sick AG in Waldkirch as a leading manufacturer of sensors and sensor systems for industrial applications. It has a strong interest in the development of embedded microsystems for sensor applications. The company was established in 1946 and employs over 3000 employees worldwide.
• MICRONAS AG
  The company Micronas AG with its registered office in Zurich is operating worldwide in the field of semiconductors for the senses. The plan is to not only cooperate technologically, but to also venture into new forms of cooperating.
• Endress+Hauser
  The company Endress+Hauser is implanted with production facilities in Germany (Weil am Rhein), Switzerland, and France. Solutions are available for measurement and automation task in the following markets: plant and machinery construction, electrical engineering, chemistry, environmental engineering, food processing, and power generation.

Beyond the financial support, the participation of these firms enables a strong connection of the PhD program's research to applications. As an example, the companies will participate, especially in the context of a research seminar, in an industrial forum taking place once per semester.

In October 2004, for the first time the summer school Freiburg Embedded Systems Talks - Academia meets Industry - FEST-AmI took place with the help of the Faculty of Applied Sciences and local industrial partners. The success of this forum for the exchange of ideas between university and industry motivated its organizers to reiterate this event annually.

Furthermore the close collaboration between the faculty and the regional industry is further fostered by the Forum Angewandte Mikrosystemtechnik e. V. (FAM). The FAM organizes regular workshops and a summer school to be used by the PhD students.

In summary, the partner institutions make it easier to attract brilliant guest researchers to participate in the PhD program. The PhD students benefit of the excellent scientific environment of the program and can take part in the research activities of the partner institutions. No doubt, some PhD students will continue to perform research in this environment after successfully completing their PhD.