europractice and stfc overview ieee meeting – 5 december 2011 dr john a mclean head,...

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?

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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

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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

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Microelectronics Support Centre

STFC?

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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• …

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Microelectronics Support Centre

Rutherford Appleton LaboratoryRutherford Appleton Laboratory

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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