B. NANOSTRUCTURES and NANOELECTRONIC DEVICES

C. SENSORS and MEMs

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:

A. 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.

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.