IMT: Main areas of interest in FP7

Aim: Development of research activities the field of micro/nano-technologies, with strong impact on the development and competitiveness of the Romanian Industry, in correlation with the the thematic priorities in FP6 and FP7.

A. Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)

A.1. Development ICT technology pillars (nano-electronics, photonics and micro/nanosytems) and of the related micro/nano technologies

- Integrating micro/nano components and devices in different materials : silicon, wide band-gap semiconductors (GaN, AlN), dielectrics, ceramics, hybrids, polymers,
- Development of mixed-technology for micro/nano systems (eg microfluidic/ICT/micro-nano, bio/chemical/ micro-nanophotonics/micro-nanoelectronics,RF MEMS/NEMS combined).
- Hybrid integration and packaging techniques, including on-chip and chip-to-chip connections
- Modelling, simulation and characterization techniques for micro/nano-structures and systems

A.2. Applications of ICT (focus on application with societal impact)

A.2.1. Health

- Development of innovative microstructures and systems for prevention, diagnostics and treatment processes:
micro-fluidics and lab-on-a-chip; bio-photonics chips (biosensor with microphotonics components and systems); silicon biochips; controlled drug delivery systems; bioMEMS (bio microsensors, micro/nanoelectrodes, microreactors).

A.2.2. Communications

- RF circuits and MEMS/NEMS: reconfigurable millimeter wave circuits (filters, antennas) , F-BARS on compound semiconductors.
- Passive and active micro-nano-photonic structures, hybrid or monolithic integrated photonic circuits and MEMS/NEMS for optical communications.

A.2.3.Environment and Safety

- Development of microsensors, bio-sensors, bio-photonic sensors and arrays of sensors for an optimised environmental control and monitoring, for food quality control, and for home applications
- Teraherz environmental monitoring systems on a chip(SoCs)

B. Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and new Production Technologies

B1. Nanomaterials, nanotechnologies, nanostructures

- Nanomaterials: new nanostructured semiconductor, organic, organic/anorganic hybrids materials with controlled properties, new functionalities and improved performances for industrial applications; biomaterials and hybrid materials; carbon nanotubes and fullerenes based materials.
- Integration of nanomaterials and nanostructures for microsystems;
- New advanced characterization techniques development for nanomaterials and nanostructures;

B2. Nano-bio-tehnologies

- New approaches for interfacing biological and non- biological components;
- Self- assembley nanostructures on micro/ nanoprocessed silicon surfaces, with biomedical applications;
- Integration of the nano- bio- technologies with information technologie, social, cognitive and neurosciences in order to alleviate the effect of disabilities and to create new types of nanotransducers

Networking:

IMT was acting as a hub of networks in MNT at the national scale (2001-2005) , including the coordination of two distributed (virtual) centres of research: CENOBITE (in nanobiotechnologies) and NANOMATFAB (in new nanomaterials and fabrication processes). This networking is now further developed and focussed on the integration in ERA through the new networks coordinated by IMT (2005-2008): RO- NANOMED (a research network devoted to the integration in the “NanoMedicine” European Technological Platform, and also establishing the common NanoBioLab) and NANOSCALE-CONV (a network of facilities for characterization and structuring and the nanoscale).

Further networking in micro-nanotechnologies is provided through the three SSA EU projects coordinated by IMT: ROM NET-ERA (at the national scale), MINAEAST- NET ( Eastern Europe) and MINOS EURO NET (networking at the pan-European scale). IMT is also subcontractor for some Eastern Europe countries in NEXUSPLUS ( NEXUS network) and in BRIDGE (EUROPRACTICE). The table below gives the whole picture of IMT in FP6.

Training:

International Centre for Education and Training in Micro and Nanotechnology (ICETMNT)

 Dissemination:

International conferences: CAS Conference, IEEE annual event (in 2005 at its 28 th edition); other international events such as Micromechanics Europe (in 2002), MEMSWAVE (first two editions), the first Nanoforum Workshop (2003).

International publications in English (editing): Micro and Nanotechnologies (MNT) Bulletin (since 2000, MNT activities in Romania; since 2004 MNT activities in Eastern Europe), also on www.imt.ro/MNT; Romanian Journal for Information Science and Technology (of the Romanian Academy); series of books in Micro and Nanoengineering (since 2001) published by the Romanian Academy.