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History
The º«¹úÂãÎè Nanotools MicrofabÌýFacility was established with the support of a Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) grant in 2000, awarded to a group of º«¹úÂãÎè researchers. This initial funding laid the foundation for the creation of a cutting-edge micro- and nano-fabrication facility. In 2003, the facility officially opened its doors to users, marking a significant milestone in º«¹úÂãÎè’s commitment to advancing research in the field of micro- and nano-technologies.
From 2008 to 2024, the º«¹úÂãÎèÌýNanotoolsÌýcontinued to grow and evolve, benefiting from continuous investment by both federal and provincial governments. These investments allowed the staff to enhance and expand the facility’s services, equipment, and fabrication processes, ensuring that it remained at the forefront of technological innovation. Over this period, the facility became the core resource at º«¹úÂãÎè for research in micro- and nano-sciences.
As of 2023, the º«¹úÂãÎè Nanotools facility serves more than 120 users annually and supports over 100 projects each year, making it a critical hub for academic, industrial, and governmental research. The facility provides a collaborative environment where researchers can access a wide range of state-of-the-art tools for the design, fabrication, and characterization of micro- and nano-scale devices, supporting innovations in diverse fields such as electronics, biotechnology, material science, and photonics.
Who we are
The º«¹úÂãÎè Nanotools is a open-access training, service, and collaboration platform, aiming at on academic and industrial R&D, applications in micro- and nanoscale fabrication and characterization.
- Over $54M in specialized equipment and infrastructure
- Over 40 pieces of equipment in ISO 5 (class 100), ISO 6 (Class 1000) cleanroom environment
- Capabilities for lithography, thin-film deposition, etching and characterization
- Fabrication for Microelectroncs, MEMS/NEMS, sensors, microfluidics, medical devices and photonics
- Fully equipped up to 6" (150 mm) processing capabilities
Our mission is to provide effective and efficient access to a broad range of micro- and nano-fabrication tools and expertise. We welcome all research and development initiatives related to micro- and nano-fabrication. Our services and competencies range from basic fabrication services to multi-step processes. Our team will be there to assist and guide you from the beginning until the end of your project.
What we do
Our vision is to be the best R&D and user friendly micro, nano-fabrication centre for our diverse user community.
Our strength lies in our ability to welcome multidisciplinary initiatives from the faculties of Medicine, Engineering and Science. Our experience with researchers from disciplines that are not familiar with microfabrication led us to better understand their needs and the upcoming challenges
- Over 54M investment in instruments and cleanroom laboratory provide access to a wide variety of capabilities.
- Our dedicated staff are available for training, process development, characterization and turn-key service contract.
- A very competitive fee structure, ensure all users can gain the abilities to access our capabilities, initial evaluation of project, test runs are free of charge
Organization
The º«¹úÂãÎè Nanotools is directed by the academic director and guided by an advisory committee. The cleanroom operation is conducted by 4 full-time staff, including 1 fab manager and 3 process and equipment engineers.