Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology

Geschichte

The Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology is a Swiss research and development centre specializing in microtechnology, nanotechnology, microelectronics, system engineering, photovoltaics and communications technologies. The headquarters is in Neuchâtel. CSEM also has centers in the cities Muttenz, Zürich, Alpnach and Landquart in SwitzerlandHistoryThe CSEM success story was launched thanks to the visionary plans of the Swiss Confederation back in the early 1980s. At the time, the Swiss Federal Council was concerned that Swiss industry was losing ground to neighboring countries in the field of new technology. To counter this trend, the council vigorously championed the creation of a private research and development center. Neuchâtel, already famous for its long tradition of watchmaking and microtechnology, seemed the ideal location for this new innovation center.In 1984, three Neuchâtel institutions active in the field of microtechnology — the Centre Electronique Horloger (CEH), the Fondation Suisse pour la Recherche en Microtechnique (FSRM), and the Laboratoire Suisse de Recherches Horlogères (LSRH) — merged to become the Centre Suisse d'Electronique et de Microtechnique (CSEM). From the beginning many well-known Swiss companies supported the new R&D center, most becoming shareholders and maintaining links with CSEM as it developed further.Since its creation, CSEM has been committed to both applied- and industry-commissioned research and development. This bridging function between the economy and science is still a core aspect of the company, and CSEM has continuously adapted its research focus to the needs of industry. Beyond its initial closeness to the watch-making industry, CSEM has expanded its fields of activity and today offers a broad range of technologies to diverse markets.