IMEL is one of the eight research Institutes of the multidisciplinary research center “NCSR Demokritos” in Aghia Paraskevi, a suburb situated 10 kilometers from the center of Athens.

• Main Objectives of IMEL

The main objectives of IMEL are as follows:

• Long-term research into understanding phenomena, mastering processes and developing research tools.
• Development of fundamental knowledge
• Development of novel high added-value technology products and production processes
• Development of human potential by education and training activities
• Services in advanced technology
• Transfer of technology and know-howThe objectives of IMEL are in line with the government policy to promote excellence in research, high technology development and innovation at Research Institutes and to promote collaboration between academia and industry.

The objectives of IMEL are also in line with the European policy to maintain and increase EU competitiveness and sustainable development through design, development and dissemination of advanced technologies, including micro and nanotechnologies and systems. They are also in line with the EU objective to “achieve a critical mass of capacities needed to develop and exploit leading edge technologies for the knowledge- and intelligence-based products, services and manufacturing processes of the years to come”.

Due to the existing infrastructure available at IMEL for silicon processing and micro- nanofabrication and the existing expertise and know-how developed, the role of the Institute is significant in contributing to increase the technological level of the country and to spread the knowledge through collaboration with Academia in research and education activities.

• Research orientation

IMEL is mainly devoted to silicon technologies and their diverse applications in information processing, storage, transmission systems and telecommunications, environmental systems, medicine, healthcare, food industry etc.
Research Activities at IMEL are structured in 3 programmes, each of them being composed of smaller projects. A scientist is in charge of each research project, while a program representative is assigned for the management of each programme. The 3 programmes and the corresponding projects are as follows:

A. MICRO and NANOFABRICATION
• Lithographic Polymers and Processes
• Plasma Processing and Simulation for Micro and Nano Patterning
• Front-end Processes for Micro and Nanodevices
• Thin Films by Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)

B. NANOSTRUCTURES and NANOELECTRONIC DEVICES
• Nanostructures for Nanoelectronics and Photonics
• Silicon Nanocrystal Memories
• Molecular Materials as Components of Electronic Devices

C. SENSORS and MEMs
• Porous Silicon Technology for Sensors and on-chip Integration
• Mechanical & Chemical Sensors
• Bio-microsystems
• Thin Film Devices for Large Area Electronics
• Circuits and Devices for Optoelectronic Interconnections.

The field of activities of IMEL is of paramount importance worldwide. Microelectronics has become a foremost driver of social and economic progress. The move to nano-scale devices, called nanoelectronics, further revolutionizes applications. The technologies developed at IMEL are necessary both in establishing a distinct and recognized role for the Institute at a European and international level and in supporting the national policies. More specifically:

Micro and nanofabrication

Research in this field is essential in supporting the development of microelectronics technology, where miniaturization plays a dominant role, pushing to the development of new materials and processes allowing the fabrication and proper functioning of the miniaturized devices.

Novel specific processes and schemes, and related materials, are also needed in the area of sensors and microsystems. Furthermore, the recent expansion of the broader field of Nanotechnology, referring not only to the fabrication of novel electronic and photonic devices but also to a large number of applications in areas such as biotechnology, medicine, health care, materials, environment, pushes strongly among others to the development of novel micro-nano fabrication routes suitable for these emerging applications. The expertise of IMEL researchers and its infrastructure provide the basis for the involvement in this emerging attractive field and significant results have been already demonstrated. The activity in this area enhances the impact of the Institute in the national research environment through collaboration with groups from other fields (e.g. biology, chemistry, medicine) that need support in order to launch and/or continue research effort to this exciting direction.

Nanostructures and nanoelectronic devices

The driving force in this program is the increasing need worldwide for technological innovations in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) involving R&D which evolves more and more towards an atomic or molecular scale. The major objective in either pursuing Moore’s law or finding alternative solutions is to further increase the performance of circuits within a given volume, to decrease power consumption for a given level of performance and to decrease cost.

Research at IMEL is carried out within EU projects and it aims at scientific and technological excellence and innovation, in collaboration with EU industrial partners. The importance of this activity for the country comes from the need to follow advanced technologies, to maintain the level of knowledge in this field, to support education, to spread the knowledge, to promote awareness of worldwide scientific and technological development and to promote applications.

Sensors and MEMs

The activity on sensors and MEMs is of strategic importance both for the country and for Europe. MEMs products have a number of distinguishing attributes that make them attractive for the advanced manufacturing industry of the coming century. These include:
• Suitability for low cost, high volume production
• Reduced size, weight and energy consumption
• High functionality
• Improved reliability and robustness
• Biocompatibility

This activity at IMEL started at the early nineties and the Institute develops novel technologies, devices and promotes technology transfer and patent licensing to the industry.

• Education and Training at IMEL

Due to its unique infrastructure at a national level and the important expertise and know-how of its researchers, IMEL plays an important role in post-graduate education. It participates very actively in the following educational programmes, in collaboration with Greek universities, by providing special courses and laboratory training:
1. Post-graduate program in “Microelectronics” in collaboration with the University of Athens (for MSc and PhD degrees)
2. Master program in “Microsystems and Nanoelectronic devices” in collaboration with the National Technical University of Athens
3. Post-graduate program in “Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies” in collaboration with the University of Thessaloniki (for MSc and PhD degrees)

• Laboratories and Central Fabrication Facilities at IMEL

The facilities and equipment of IMEL include a full silicon processing laboratory in a clean room area of 300 m2 equipped with lithography (optical, e- beam) and etching tools, thermal and chemical processing facilities, ion implantation, deposition of metals, dielectrics and poly- nanocrystalline silicon by physical and chemical processes (LPCVD, sputtering, e-gun and thermal evaporation), and process inspection equipment. Satellite laboratories include electrical and optical characterization, micromachining and packaging laboratory, resist development laboratory, electron microscopy (SEM, STM/AFM), sensor characterization and testing equipment.

The clean room area for thermal, chemical and reactive ion etching processes of the Institute has been fully upgraded to class 1000, while lithography area to class 100, in the year 2002.
A new building of the Institute has been constructed in 2006 to host the electrical, optical and structural characterization laboratories. A photograph of the building in the final stage of construction is shown in the figure below.

• Management

The management of the Institute is assured by its Director, who is elected by an International Scientific Committee for 5 years, assisted by a Deputy Director and an Institute Advisory Board, elected every 2 years by the Researchers. The Director represents the Institute in the Board of management of the Centre, and is responsible for the overall functioning of the Institute.

A scientist is in charge of the processing laboratory, which is a central facility used by all scientific groups. There are also programme representatives for the 3 main R&D programmes as they appear on the organizational structure of the Institute.

An external International Scientific Advisory Committee operates at IMEL from the year 2000, which discusses with the director and the scientific staff the Institute research priorities and policy.

• Personnel

The personnel of IMEL includes 17 key researchers and several post-doctoral scientists and PhD students. It also includes a group of technicians that operate the central fabrication facility.

Address	Institute of Microelectronics NCSR "Demokritos" Terma (End) Patriarhou Gregoriou Street, PO Box 60228 Aghia Paraskevi, Athens, GREECE 15310
Tel.	(+30) 210650-3223
Fax	(+30) 210651-1723
Website	http://imel.demokritos.gr/
Contact person	Name	Prof. D. Tsoukalas (Director of IMEL)
	Email
	Tel.	(+30) 210654-2783