The IMB-CNM becomes a new member of the Advanced Materials Cluster of Catalonia
The Advanced Materials Cluster of Catalonia (Cluster MAV) is an organization that aims to promote and contribute to the competitiveness of companies and organizations in the advanced materials sector. The IMB-CNM has become a new member joining over 60 research institutions and companies, whilst providing unique capacities in silicon technologies.
The Institute of Microelectronics of Barcelona has recently become part of the Advanced Materials Cluster of Catalonia. It joins an ecosystem made up of research centers, such as ICMAB (CSIC), IREC, Eurecat or Leitat, and companies specialized in materials science, such as Advanced Nanotechnologies, Arcesso Dynamics or Astrea Materials.
The IMB-CNM is specialized in micro and nanotechnologies and offers the Micro and Nanofabrication Clean Room, a Unique Scientific and Technology Infrastructure (ICTS), to create new synergies and initiatives among the members of the Cluster. The Micronanofabs Clean Room is a large facility with unique capacities in silicon technologies, providing new opportunities for the development of micro and nanotechnologies.
"We offer state-of-the-art R&D facilities in silicon technologies where new devices can be co-developed using the materials we master for semiconductor, MEMS and photonic devices, as well as an interest on the integration of suitable alternative materials", explains Luis Fonseca, IMB-CNM’s director.
Joining the Advanced Materials Cluster of Catalonia
The Cluster MAV is a non-profit association promoting and contributing to the competitiveness of companies and entities in the value chain of the materials sector, thus helping to strengthen the Catalan industry as a whole. It promotes initiatives aimed at boosting the materials business by stimulating and exploiting synergies between members and related sectors.
It was created in 2015 through the promotion of ACCIÓ, the Agency for the Competitiveness of Catalan Business of the Generalitat de Catalunya. It has been part of the ACCIÓ Catalunya Clúster programme since its creation. In 2021 it has been recognised as an Agrupación Empresarial Innovadora (AEI).
Joining the cluster gives the IMB-CNM, Fonseca adds, "the chance to test the integration of new materials of electronic and photonic interest into substrates (both rigid and flexible) and devices that could be processed in our R&D facilities", whereas it is also an opportunity "to grow and create new research synergies".