CEA Nanoelectronics and micro-and nanosystems Infrastructure

The semiconductor fabrication infrastructure of CEA is composed of two major installations operating on 12 inch and 8 inch wafer sizes. The 12" nanoelectronics platform develops advanced transistors, integrated circuits and non-volatile memory. It is also where FD-SOI—today used to mass-produce chips worldwide—was born. The platform also conducts 3D integration R&D.

Activities encompass simulation, technology development, demonstrators and prototyping, advanced characterization and reliability testing. The platform can also conduct short-loop, proof-of-concept testing with wafer manufacturing sites. Foundries, fabless manufacturers, integrators, and materials and equipment manufacturing partners of the platform benefit from high-added-value modules offering excellent energy consumption, speed and frequency. This is ideal for the microcontrollers used in the automotive and medical industries and for smart cards among many other applications. The platform is one of the world’s top five 300 mm nanoelectronics R&D centers and operates in 15 strategic partnerships with organizations in the US and Europe. 

The 8" and 12" microsystems platform develops sensors, switches, RF components, components for photonics and IR applications, power components, and integrated packaging solutions. The platform’s highly-qualified staff, equipment, and international activities make it the world’s leading center for microsystems R&D. The objectives of the R&D conducted at the platform are to reduce component cost and energy consumption while increasing performance and reliability. The microsystems developed target the mobile telephony, medical, automotive, aeronautics, and other industries.

The platform has 25 ongoing strategic partnerships with component and systems manufacturers and end users. Its activities cover the entire component-development chain, from simulation, design, and technology development to demonstrator systems and industrial scale-up. Other activities include advanced morphological and electrical characterization and reliability studies. Finally, the platform investigates new materials, validates innovative technologies, develops non-volatile memory, and studies 3D integration.