3 August 2010

The EU-project EUMINAfab has been offering access to state-of-the-art technologies for applications in the micro- and nanometer range for scientists since past autumn. Successful applicants have already started their work at different installations of the EUMINAfab-partners.

In September 2009 Europe’s first virtual scientific infrastructure facility for micro- and nanotechnology, EUMINAfab, started operation. Ten leading institutions from research and industry in eight EU member states are linked by EUMINAfab. For scientists and developers they provide the possibility to exploit 36 high-technology installations for experiments, with assistance of experts for micro- and nanotechnology. As long as the user agrees to publish the results of his or her work, access to the EUMINAfab-partners’ installations is free of charge. There are several calls for proposals encouraging interested researchers to apply with their scientific questions access. The infrastructure facility will be funded by the European Commission under the 7th EU Research Framework Programme with up to six million Euros until 2013.

The homepage www.euminafab.eu is the virtual entrance to the research facilities of the associated establishments. In this way, 17 proposals reached the central EUMINAfab user office during the first call. From Germany, France and Great Britain there were three applicants in each case, two were from Bulgaria and from Austria, Spain, Greece and Russia there was one applicant in each case. Two proposals have been handed in by international user groups. The projects are related to the following application fields: physics research, medical research, semiconductor technology, electronics, micro optics and micro engineering. Following a review of technical feasibility, scientific relevance and originality of the proposal by an independent peer review board, eight applicants received the go-ahead.

Many projects are scientifically challenging and bail out the opportunities offered by the scientific infrastructure facility EUMINAfab. The scientists exploit different installations and even visit the research facilities of several partners while performing their work. The EUMINAfab consortium welcomes these scientific challenges, because demanding projects contribute to a better comparability and improved linking of promising technologies, which is an important goal of the EU-project.

The period from receipt of the application until the approval of a project depends on a clear written proposal. In some cases the go-ahead was given within five weeks. A fairly even distribution of EUMINAfab partners’ installations is requested in the applications as well as in the selected projects. However arose, that there is a significant higher request for some of the installations. Among there are tools and processes for micro nano patterning, which are offered by the Cardiff University in Great Britain: FIB/SEM Crossbeam, laser material processing and master making. The installations for electro-optical characterization of Centro Ricerche FIAT S.C.p.A. in Italy are popular with the EUMINAfab-Users, too.

EUMINAfab’s second call for proposals has been opened since March 2010. The experts for micro- and nanotechnologies are looking forward to further challenging projects. There will be other calls coming this year and the following years for scientists to apply for free of charge use of the EUMINAfab partners’ installations. Information on the technology portfolio and contact details of the EUMINAfab experts is provided here.

The EUMINAfab consortium consists of the following partners: Cardiff University, Great Britain; Centro Ricerche FIAT S.C.p.A., Italy; Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique, France; Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (coordination), Germany; Fraunhofer Society, Germany; Fundación TEKNIKER, Spain; IMS Nanofabrication AG, Austria; Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan, Sweden; MiPlaza Philips Research Europe, the Netherlands; National Physical Laboratory, Great Britain.