Europractice and STFC Overview

IEEE Meeting – 5 December 2011

Dr John A McLeanHead, Microelectronics Support Centre

Science & Technology Facilities CouncilRutherford Appleton Laboratory, UK

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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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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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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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STFC?

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

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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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Rutherford Appleton Laboratory

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MPW and small volume IC/MEMs fabrication service

(open to academics and industryworld-wide)

IMEC, Fraunhofer IIS

In operation for >20 years!1989 – 1995 Eurochip

1995 onwards Europractice

Software Service - Design toolsfor European Academics

and Research Laboratories

(Microelectronics / Microsystemsbased System Design

- not just ASICs)

STFC/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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Europractice Design Tool Service

Software Service

EUROPRACTICE Membership+

CAD toolsfor European Academics

and Research Laboratories

(Modern MicroelectronicsSystem Design - not just ASICs)

STFC/RAL

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Europractice Design Tool Portfolio

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Europractice Member INSTITUTES

• Membership administered by STFC/RAL

• Currently 640 INSTITUTES• 512 universities• 128 research institutes

in 44 countries close to Europehave current support contractsfor design tools

• Common design infrastructure across Europe

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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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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.