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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