Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWSFrank Altmann, Head of the Electronics business unit of the Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS, has been named a Fellow of ASM International. This honor recognizes his research in microelectronics failure analysis and materials diagnostics, as well as the achievements of his team in Halle (Saale). The award ceremony took place at the international IMAT conference in Québec, Canada.
Headquartered in the USA, ASM International is the world’s largest professional organization for materials scientists and engineers. Since 1913, it has advanced education, research, and industrial innovation to address global challenges in the field. Through its affiliate chapter, the Electronic Device Failure Analysis Society (EDFAS), ASM also focuses on the specialized area of microstructure diagnostics in semiconductor technologies.
The title of ”ASM Fellow” is one of the organization’s highest honors. Awarded annually to no more than 0.1 percent of its membership for exceptional contributions to materials science and engineering, the distinction is currently held by approximately 800 Fellows worldwide. Frank Altmann has now joined this exclusive circle in recognition of his outstanding technical contributions to the international electronics failure analysis community.
”Being named an ASM Fellow fills me with pride and deep gratitude. I also view this honor as a tribute to the exceptional work of my team at Fraunhofer IMWS. At the same time, it underscores the international significance of our research and serves as a powerful motivation to continue advancing these fields,” Altmann said upon receiving the award.
A physicist by training, Altmann heads the ”Electronic Materials and Components” business unit at Fraunhofer IMWS, Germany, and acts as the institute’s deputy director. His research focuses on materials characterization and defect diagnostics in semiconductor technologies, as well as driving innovations in failure analysis methods and equipment.
Through his scientific work and close collaboration with numerous international industry partners, he has played a vital role in bringing new materials to the electronics market, enhancing manufacturing quality in semiconductor technology, and ensuring the reliability of modern electronic systems - particularly in the demanding field of automotive electronics. Furthermore, Altmann has advanced these fields by pioneering novel defect detection and fault isolation methods for modern chips containing from hundreds of thousands to billions of individual nanometer-sized transistors. The recognition of Frank Altmann through the ASM Fellowship once again underscores the leading role of Fraunhofer IMWS in the field of applied research in microstructure diagnostics, building upon many years of long-standing expertise at the Halle (Saale) location.
Fraunhofer IMWS specializes in high-precision analyses aimed at increasing the reliability and service life of materials, components, and systems. Using state-of-the-art techniques such as electron microscopy, solid-state spectroscopy, surface and trace analysis, mechanical material characterization, modeling, and numerical simulation, as well as methods of artificial intelligence, Fraunhofer IMWS supports industry in quality assurance and in the development of forward-looking solutions through joint research projects.
The award was presented at IMAT (International Materials, Applications, and Technologies) in Québec, Canada, one of the largest events for materials science. IMAT brings together experts from industry and academia to present technological advances and strengthen international networks.
(October 5, 2026)