Silicon Saxony: Alumni of Silicon Saxony publish obituary on the death of Dr. Ralf Kempe

Under the leadership of Prof. Werner Hartmann, the first basic technology for the production of integrated circuits in the GDR was independently developed in AME/AMD without detailed technological information from other Western countries or the USSR and transferred to production.

Exemplary for the extensive, active and creative collaboration of Dr. Ralf Kempe are just a few of his achievements and results. Ralf Kempe, here are just a few of his achievements and results that had far-reaching effects on the development of the AME to ZMD and other microelectronics companies in the GDR:

• Construction and commissioning of the laboratories for “Doping & mechanical crystal processing” already as “clean rooms” and management of the development of the corresponding technological process steps.
• Independent development of a laboratory technology for the production of polished silicon wafers from single crystals from Spurenmetalle Freiberg (SMF), as the wafers originally purchased from there were not of the required quality. This in-house production of silicon wafers covered AME/ AMD’s requirements until around 1975.
• Creation and management of the central control system for the rapid and controlled passage of the silicon wafers through all technological sub-steps of the machining process, as a decisive prerequisite for systematic basic technology development.
• Transfer of the laboratory technology for the production of polished Si wafers to SMF, where it became the basic technology for the future coverage of the wafer requirements of all semiconductor production in the GDR.
• National Prize for Science and Technology 2nd Class in the collective.
• Management of the transfer of the AMD basic technology, including the first integrated circuit developed with it, to the Frankfurt Oder semiconductor plant (HFO). Start of production there from 1972.
• Involved in the preparation, construction and commissioning of the so-called “Blue House” of the AMD as the 1st test production facility for integrated circuits under production-related conditions in the GDR and transfer of the basic technology from the AMD laboratories to it. 
• Commissionary head of the AMD after the dismissal of Prof. Werner Hartmann, then deputy head of the IMD and Director of Research (Research and Development).
• With the formation of the Center for Research and Technology of Microelectronics Dresden (ZFTM), F is dissolved as an independent directorate and Dr. Ralf Kempe takes over the coordination of preliminary microelectronics research in the GDR between ZFTM, the Academy of Sciences, universities, colleges and the companies of the Microelectronics Combine Erfurt. On the occasion of the takeover of the ZFTM into the Carl Zeis Jena combine, the ZFTM was dissolved. He continued this task in the new Microelectronics Research Centre Dresden (ZMD).
• Continued this task after 1991 in the continuing Microelectronics Centre Dresden (ZMD) until his retirement.

Through his work, Dr. Ralf Kempe was a pioneer, shaper and developer of microelectronics in Dresden from the very first days of its creation. The significance of this completely new technology extended far beyond the then AME – ZMD and into the various microelectronics and semiconductor companies in the GDR. His extensive and creative involvement in the development of microelectronics helped this technology to become an extremely important economic pillar in the GDR and contributed to Dresden becoming the “heart” of a “Silicon Saxony” as an important European center of microelectronics.

Dr. Manfred Lisec
Long-time colleague and companion of Dr. Kempe

Dresden, 27.10.2025