Europractice and STFC Overview

IEEE Meeting – 5 December 2011

Dr John A McLean

Head, Microelectronics Support Centre

Science & Technology Facilities Council

Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, UK

Microelectronics Support Centre

Introduction

• What is • Europractice?• STFC?

• How can STFC via the Europractice programme promote IEEE standards in Electronic Systems and Microelectronic Design to European universities?

2

Microelectronics Support Centre

Europractice?

• EC project to promote and support Electronics Systems and Microelectronics Design to European Academic community• It is a Project – part financially supported by the European Union • Not an Organisation• Not a Legal Entity• Unlike initiatives elsewhere, it is primarily End-User funded

• Objective is to assist the European Academic community• Train future engineers• Undertake research and innovation

that is more relevant to the needs of industry

3

Microelectronics Support Centre

Europractice?

• Europractice project• Well established• Began in 1989 (then called Eurochip)• Since 1995 it has been called Europractice

• Europractice project has 3 long-standing partners who work together• IMEC, Belgium• Fraunhofer IIS, Germany

• IC fabrication service using MPWs (similar to MOSIS in US)

• STFC, UK• Organise the Europractice Membership (academic customer base)• Design Tool and Programmable/Reconfigurable Platform service

4

Microelectronics Support Centre

STFC?

5

STFC is one of seven UK Research Councils Science and Technology Facilities Council

An independent, non-departmental public body of the Dept for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS)

Established by Royal Charter as an independent legal body, outside of Government, but accountable to Parliament

Joint facilities – For example, the new research complex on the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory site

Microelectronics Support Centre

STFC?

• STFC (Science and Technology Facilities Council) has 5 UK locations• Swindon – headquarters (same location as most of the other UK

research councils)• Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) – Oxfordshire

• (one of largest multi-disciplinary research laboratories in Europe)

• Daresbury Laboratory - Cheshire• Chilbolton Observatory - Hampshire• UK Astronomy Technology Centre - Edinburgh

• Organised in various departments, e.g.• Technology – Engineering at RAL & Daresbury + UK ATC• Space Science• Photon science• e-Science• …

6

Microelectronics Support Centre

Rutherford Appleton LaboratoryRutherford Appleton Laboratory

7

Microelectronics Support Centre

MPW and small volumeMPW and small volume IC/MEMs fabrication serviceIC/MEMs fabrication service

(open to academics and industry(open to academics and industryworld-wide)world-wide)

IMEC, Fraunhofer IISIMEC, Fraunhofer IIS

In operation for >20 years!

1989 – 1995 Eurochip

1995 onwards Europractice

Software Service - Design toolsSoftware Service - Design toolsfor European Academicsfor European Academics

and Research Laboratoriesand Research Laboratories

(Microelectronics / Microsystems(Microelectronics / Microsystemsbased System Designbased System Design

- not just ASICs)- not just ASICs)

STFC/RALSTFC/RAL

Maintain 2 separate web sites to ensure that the high volume of

customer transactions for Design Tools and MPW

activities do not get mixed up!

www.europractice-ic.comwww.europractice.stfc.ac.uk

Europractice IC Service Structure

8

Microelectronics Support Centre

Europractice Design Tool Service

Software ServiceSoftware Service

EUROPRACTICE MembershipEUROPRACTICE Membership++

CAD toolsCAD toolsfor European Academicsfor European Academics

and Research Laboratoriesand Research Laboratories

(Modern Microelectronics(Modern MicroelectronicsSystem Design - not just ASICs)System Design - not just ASICs)

STFC/RALSTFC/RAL

Microelectronics Support Centre

Europractice Design Tool Portfolio

10

Microelectronics Support Centre

Europractice Member INSTITUTES

• Membership administered by STFC/RAL

• Currently 640 INSTITUTES• 512 universities• 128 research institutes

in 44 countries close to Europe

have current support contractsfor design tools

• Common design infrastructure across Europe

11

Microelectronics Support Centre

IEEE and Europractice

• STFC (within the framework of Europractice) has contacts and contracts with 640 European academic institutions (including 512 universities)• All are Members of Europractice• All use the STFC/RAL supported Europractice Design Tools

• Design tool contracts are with STFC not Europractice

• (~ 411 use the IMEC/Fraunhofer IIS fabrication services)

• Europractice (via STFC) addresses• Virtually all European major academic institutions engaged in

Electronic Systems and Microelectronic Design research and training

12

Microelectronics Support Centre

Questions?

1. Promote collaboration of the two organizations through his newsletter to the member universities, EuroPractice website

• Can we provide an article? How long? When does Europractice need it? When will it be published? How will we know its impact?

• Should we sign an MoU? Do a joint press release?

2. Specifically, promote SEC Student Application paper (mini-grant) to EuroPractice member universities

• We would like 5 papers from Europractice members in 2012. What steps can Europractice take to achieve this?

3. Train-the-trainer seminar/workshop/event about IEEE Standards and its inclusion in curriculum – possibly with David Law as a speaker in person (due to geographic proximity)

• When can this seminar be? Can Europractice write the abstract/invite for it? How can IEEE provide support?

4. Include write up about our collaboration in SEC eZine; possibly other channels at IEEE, IEEE-SA

• Can Europractice provide IEEE an article about its activities? January issue? If no, March/April.

13