RAS Nodes

CCLRC is the largest UK national research facility employing ~2000 scientists, engineers and support staff. The project-related tasks for 4M will be carried out by the Central Microstructure Facility (CMF) at CCLRC-RAL. CMF is a division of the CCLRC engaged in R&D activities in micro and nano systems technology for the past 20 years. It has been involved with large number of nationally funded and EC funded projects. CCLRC -RAL has led many Nationally funded programmes including the £19 million Innovations in Industrial Lithography (ISL) programme funded by the UK Department of Trade and Industries. The CMF is a major national centre for microsystems technology. As a national facility we interact with over 100 universities in the UK. Our European involvement is also very strong. We have led many EU projects.
The Central Microstructure Facility (CMF) provides state-of-the-art microfabrication services and R&D facilities, based on electron-beam lithography and semiconductor equipment, to universities and industry. A central well-found research and prototype manufacturing service is available using advanced technology for microelectronics, masks, interconnects, direct write and for microsystems technology/microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). CMF is a neutral site where academic-industry and industry-industry collaborations offer good technology transfer opportunities.

The CEA (Atomic Energy Commission) is a French Governmental Research Organisation (1500 employees) devoted to both fundamental and industrial R&D. The CEA-Grenoble research center is operated by the DRT (Technological Research Direction) in the fields of technologies for information, communication and of technologies for new energies. The two main laboratories (LETI and LITEN) involved in 4M are developing polymers micro systems for various fields of applications (biotechnology, micro fluidics, micro fuel cells, photonics and micro heat exchanger).These two laboratories are one of the largest European R&D operators in the micro & nanotechnologies, nano-materials and electronics. It mainly aims at helping companies to increase their competitiveness through technological innovation and transfer of its technical know-how to industry. CEA/DRT has also an active policy of start-up creation. More than 20 permanent people are working on the following topics relevant to 4M:
•UV LIGA micromolding fabrication process: thick photoresist photolithography, mould fabrication, hot embossing
•Prototyping of polymers microcomponents: direct fabrication with thick photoresist, polymer Deep Etching, casting
•Assembling and packaging of polymer Microsystems.
•Manufacturing technologies of energy microsources.
•Active Surface treatment (Hydrophobic, Hydrophilic,…)
•Characterization of polymer properties (Strain, viscosity, Surface roughness,…)

FEMTO-ST has fully equipped clean room equipment (laser mask writer; photolithography; RIE and DRIE); hot embossing; ultrasonic machining.

For more information about the facilities available, visit the FEMTO-ST website at:

The National Institute for Research and Development in Microtechnologies is a non-budgetary research unit supervised by the Ministry of Education, Research and Youths. The Institute of Microtechnology set up in 1993, by a decision of the Romanian Government, became in 1996 a National Institute and this status was re-confirmed in 2001after the Evaluation initiated by the Ministry of Education and Research .
The field of activity of IMT-Bucharest comprises: Development of micro and nano fabrication technologies, micro and nanostructures, microsystems and subsystems, including computer-aided design, simulation and testing of microstructures and microsystems and microelectronic components and development of microphysical and functional characterization technologies. The basic activities of IMT-Bucharest are: Research, development and services in the field of Micro and nanotechnologies, new materials; Information and communication technologies (networks, web-sites, Internet, Intranet, Extranet); Technological assistance for SMEs: consulting, design, technology transfer, training on the job; Organizing scientific events (e.g. the International Semiconductor Conference CAS) and training courses; Studies for industrial restructuring and modernization; Strategies of development.

The Institute of Material Research III, as one of about 20 scientific institutes of the Forschungszentrum (Research Center) Karlsruhe, works alongside other scientific work on the development of manufacturing processes for polymer and ceramic micro-components.