New laboratory for development and production of electronic components for microelectronics opens at Research Institute of Radio Materials

A new laboratory for the development and production of electronic components for microelectronics has opened at the Research Institute of Radio Materials of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. This was announced by Academician-Secretary of Department of Physics, Mathematics and Informatics of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Alexander Shumilin.

"Much attention is now paid to the development of microelectronics in Belarus. This laboratory is developing critical microelectronics, which are not produced in the CIS. In addition, it develops ultra-high-frequency (UHF) electronic components, which are used, for example, in radars for cars, airplanes, helicopters and other equipment," said Alexander Shumilin.

According to him, the new laboratory has the fourth purity class. "There is a cluster on development of microelectronics, microwave and optoelectronics in the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus set up jointly with the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Education. The technologies, which exist in the Research Institute of Radio Materials, give 50% of suitable crystalline microcircuits, and the laboratory accounts for 80-90% of the output of semiconductors possible. Therefore, their cost will double, but we will have twice as many quality crystals with 1mm by 1mm size," the academician-secretary explained.

He added that the laboratory opening will allow taking orders for manufacturing of import-substituting microelectronics both from Belarusian and Russian customers for $300 thousand, and it is planned to reach $1 million volume in a year.

"We are building a full-cycle production in the laboratory. The Research Institute of Radio Materials is engaged in scientific developments, for example of microcircuits and MEMS. Small batches of prototypes will be created in the laboratory, the devices will also be tested, and then, if necessary, they will be replicated at large factories, such as Integral, Planar, and others," Alexander Shumilin said.

He stressed that the laboratory equipment was produced mostly by Belarusian company Planar and Russian colleagues, but there are some imported elements.

"The products manufactured in the branch laboratory are in high demand. Many things used to be imported, and now we will be able to easily produce some of these items ourselves in a short period of time," summed up the specialist.