Acronyme du projet/ Acronym of the project

4.1.Présentation des partenaires

4.1.1Partenaire 1/ Partner 1 : Fondation de Coopération Scientifique Digiteo-Triangle de la Physique (FCS)

The Scientific Cooperation Foundation (FCS)⁵ was created in 2007 to provide two government-approved Advanced Research Thematic Networks (RTRA)⁶ with a legal personality: one deals with information and communication technologies (DIGITEO), and the other with physics (the so-called "Triangle of Physics"). At that time, these networks involved 9 "founding" establishments and their associated partners. It is in this context that the FCS fosters collaborations, on behalf of these institutions:

• 
  Collaborative research projects and Chairs, which are selected according to a standard method (call for projects and selection by peers). The foundation was thus able to receive funds intended to stimulate scientific cooperation projects in the Plateau de Saclay area, for a yearly expenditure of the order of 8 M€. Its management, which is clearly distinct from scientific governance, is simple: the foundation transfers funds to the beneficiary institutions, but may also hire researchers directly when a fast response is required.
  
• 
  Coordination of communities. The Digiteo and Triangle of Physics have over time built community networks, which unite researchers who did not necessarily know each other.
  
• 
  Actions for the exploitation of research results. The Digiteo network funds "technology maturation" actions, which consist in transforming a technology into a final product (market analysis, technological development, canvassing of industries). It is also implied in the European network for "Fostering Interregional Exchange in ICT Technology Transfer" (FITT).
  

The foundation will soon be involved in a third sector, that of mathematics, through the Jacques Hadamard Foundation of Mathematics on the Paris-Saclay Campus Paris-Saclay.

In 2009, the foundation expanded its field of activities by becoming a promoter for the “project Paris-Saclay Campus”, on behalf of twenty-two institutions: research organizations, higher education and research establishments, a competitiveness cluster and two Research and Higher Education Clusters. It is in this context that the foundation promotes the project of Excellence Initiative for the campus and the associated projects of the Laboratories of Excellence.

These three activities (DIGITEO, Triangle of physics and Campus Project) presently involve twenty persons.

A third step, to take place at the end of 2010, will amend the statutes of the FCS by fully including the additional mission of promoting the Paris-Saclay campus project. Its objective will be to create, over time, an institution with the aim of federating large programmes, which are transverse to the constituent establishments, in terms of training, research, and innovation, organised according to specific themes or subjects selected by mutual agreement. These programmes would be places where the communities thus brought together would coordinate their scientific work, and where sector-specific policies and large programmes would be designed and developed, based on highly innovative projects.

It is in this new framework that the foundation submits an Initiative of Excellence (IDEX⁷) project, the aim of which is to integrate Laboratories of Excellence which are to be initially selected, and to interconnect these with other possibly selected structures, devoted to the so-called Investments for the Future: University-Hospital Institutes (IHU)⁸, the Society for the Acceleration of Technology Transfer (SATT⁹), the Institute of Excellence for Low-Carbon Energies (IEED)¹⁰), etc.

4.1.2Partenaire 2/ Partner 2 : Institut d'Electronique Fondamentale (IEF) UMR8622

4.1.2.1Recherche et innovation / Research and innovation

The “Institut d’Electronique Fondamentale” (IEF) is a joint research unit (UMR 8622) of the « Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique » (CNRS) and of the University of Paris 11. It is located in the Orsay Campus. The research carried out at IEF focuses on silicon-based nano-electronics, nanomagnetism and spin electronics, micro-nanophotonics and optoelectronics (Si or III-V semiconductors), sensors and microsystems including their fabrication and characterization, and autonomous systems and networks. In the frame of Campus plan, IEF is expected to merge with Laboratory of Photonics and Nanostructures (LPN) to create the Center of Nano Sciences of Saclay. Both IEF and LPN host technological centers with large clean rooms facilities (about 1000m2 each) which are 2 of the 6 main national technological centers of the French Basic Technology Research network (RTB).

The whole laboratory counts 28 CNRS researchers (plus 2 emeritus) and 52 Universty lecturers or professors, for a total of about 240 people including students, post-doc and technical or administrative staff. Two IEF groups will not join the Nano-Saclay project:

• 
  The IEF/MINASYS group on Microsystems is a partner of the LaSI(p)S project on engineering, and is not counted in Nano-Saclay. This group, within IEF closely involved in the majority of nanotechnology developments and sharing several contracts with other IEF groups, can be seen as a potential bridge wetween the two projects.
  
• 
  The IEF/AXIS group on autonomous systems and networks works on themes related to the Digitex labex project, to which they participate.
  

But with about 143 persons related to nano research (not including administration and services staff members) the group of researchers from IEF/Nano represents by far the largest block of the Nano-Saclay. On the 2006-2010 period, the IEF/Nano block accounts for 400 of the 451 total IEF publications in regular journals, 18 of the 20 patents filed, and 212 of the 226 Invited talks. Note that more than 200 of the publications were in journals with impact factor above 3.5, and 26 with impact factor above 7. A selected list of 2006-2010 publications is given in Annex.

The project involves the research groups on nanoelectronics, spintronics and nanophotonics. Research subjects cover:

• 
  Intersubband photonics/Quantum cascade lasers (coordination of a EU STREP with companies), Photonics on nanowire, quantum dots and more generally at nm scale, THz devices, integrated Silicon photonics, magnetophotonics and plasmonics..
  
• 
  Simulation of Quantum and molecular devices for nanoelectronics, very high frequency electronics devices
  
• 
  Spin electronics, from materials to theory, with emphasis on high frequency magnetization dynamics or domain wall devices for high density storage (coordination of a EU STREP with two companies).
  
• 
  Development of breakthrough circuit architectures (such as neuro inspired architectures) integrating nanoscience devices, a key element for leading to valorization of such devices (spintronics devices, memristors, Coulomb Blockade memories, etc.
  

One major recent evolution of IEF research axis is the development of research at the interface with Physics, Chemistry and Biology. This is exemplified by the recruitment in 2010 of N. Hildebrand on a professor position to develop luminescent nanoparticle-based photonic technologies such as multiplexed homogeneous FRET-assays for clinical diagnostics and drug response evaluation, optical cell-investigations with time-resolved microscopic and spectroscopic techniques for structure and concentration diagnostics (e.g. FRET, FLIM, FISH) and endomicroscopy technologies for minimally invasive preclinical in vivo investigations. Other groups work on THz detection of biomolecules, Plasmon enhanced optical detection for biochip, or the study of biological reaction in nanoconfined spaces.

IEF is now engaged to merge with LPN in order to found the new NanoSciences Research Center called NanoINNOV-C2N to be built by 2015 on the Plateau de Saclay (see part 5.1).

AERES évaluation (March 2009): global rating A, but A+ in in both “Scientific and publication quality” and “Impact/Attractivity”. On the six groups in IEF/Nano, two groups (NanoSpintronics and GaN Nanophotonics) got the highest mark A+ for all indicators. The main criticisms from AERES experts on the IEF/Nano part were actually more about poor organization such as research subjects dispersed between groups with no clear global view. With the arrival of a new director in January 2010, discussions have started for reorganizing IEF/Nano along the AERES recommandations. Similar discussions are being held with LPN Scientific Council, in the preparation of the C2N merge. Finally, by end of 2010 IEF/Nano will be organized in 3 groups:

• 
  Spin and Charge nanoelectronics
  
• 
  Nanophotonics
  
• 
  Photonics and Electronics for Biology,
  

the last group corresponding to the new evolution mentioned above.
High profile scientists

BOUCAUD, Philippe (H = 28, >2400 citations); CNRS; DR2

Major publications 2006-2010 (IF>7):3 PRL

Other assessment points: head of the research department IEF-NAEL, Member of the "Nanophotonics and quantum information" board committee within the C’Nano IdF, Co-animator of nanophotonics scientific field of advanced research cluster Triangle de la physique, 1 patent.
SAUVAGE, Sébastien (H = 20, >1300 citations); CNRS; CR1

Major publications 2006-2010 (IF>7): 2 PRL

Other assessment points: head of the research group NAEL-QD, 1 patent.
CHECOURY, Xavier (H = 7, > 160 citations); UPS-11, MCF

Distinctions: Chaire d’excellence Université Paris-Sud 11(2009)

Other assessment points: PES Bonus of Scientific Excellence 2009, 4 patents
FISHMAN, Guy (H = 24 > 2800 citations, un article cité >680); CNRS DR2 émérite

Major publications (IF>7): 6 PRL

Other assessment points: one reference book (>700 pages) on k.p theory published
CHAPPERT, Claude (H = 39 > 7200 citations); CNRS DR1

Distinctions: CNRS Silver Medal (2000)

Major publications 206-2010 (IF>7): 1 Nature Mater., 1 Nature Phys. + 1 N&V, 4 PRL

Other assessment points: head of IEF
RAVELOSONA, Dafiné (H = 15, > 880 citations); CNRS; DR2

Distinctions:.Prix de la valorization 2010 de l’Université Paris-Sud 11

Major publications (IF>7):1 Nature Physics, 2 PRL, 1 Nature Materials

Other assessment points: head of the research department IEF-NST, coordinator of 3 ANRs, 1 EU STREP
LOURTIOZ, Jean-Michel (H = 27 > 2400 citations); CNRS, DRCE

Distinctions: Grand prix Ferrié de l’Electronique (1992), Trophée INPI (2008), IEEE Senior member (application to « IEEE Fellow » in 2011

Major publications (IF>7): 2 PRL, 185 articles in International Reviews and 17 Books or book Chapters.

Other assessment points : Member of the NanoInnov Steering Committee (responsible for the NanoSchool/NanoEducation/NanoSociety Program), Scientific Coordinator and Vice-President of UniverSud-Paris (PRES), CNRS mission for the development of cooperative research projects in Nanobio, Member of the Advisory Board of OpticsValley, Member of International Boards for International Publications (e.g. PNFA-Elsevier), Director of IEF from 2000 to 2009, Member of the French Network on Basic Technological Research (BTR) from 2003 to 2009, Administrative Board (CA) of Université Paris-Sud 11 from 2002 to 2006, President of the CNRS Committee for Prospects in Nanophotonics from 2004 to 2006, Member of the European COST P11 for Photonics from 2002 to 2006 (FP6), Organizer and co-organizer of International Summer-Schools on Photonics (2003 and 2004), Director of the CNRS Research Group (GdR) on Microcavities and Photonic Crystals until 2001, Member of the CNRS-STIC Department Council until 2001.
HILDEBRANDT, Niko (H = 9 > 357 citations); UPS-11, PR2

Distinctions: Prix jeune chercheur du Land de Brandenburg (Allemagne) (2010)

Major publications (IF>7): 3 Angew Chem Inter Ed, 1 JACS

Other assessment points: young German recruited at IEF in 2010 on a professorship position, to start a research group at the interface of Physics and Biology. Coordinator of a EU STREP project started on October 1st, 2010.
BARTENLIAN, Bernard, (H = 17, > 1170 citations): CNRS, CR1

Major publications (IF>7): 1 Science, 1 Nature Methods, 1 PRL

Other assessment points: initially a specialist of Nanomagnetism and films epitaxy, drastically changed specialty to start the bio-related activities at IEF (two last papers cited above). Recently speaker and co-organizer of several schools at the interface between Physics and Biology
DOLLFUS, Philippe, (H = 16, > 800 citations): CNRS, DR2

Other assessment points: Head of the Department IEF-CMO since 2000. Member of the "molecular and quantum electronics" board committee within the C’Nano IdF (since 2010). Member of several Technical/advisory/program committees of international conferences [SISPAD (2010), APWMP (2010), International Conference on Nano-Physics: from fundamentals to applications (2006), RADECS (1994), Vietnam School of Physics (since 2006)]. Member of the Evaluation Committee of ANR Blanc/SIMI 10/Nanosciences, EU expert in the FP7 Call 6, Coordinator of an ANR Project (PNANO MODERN 2005-2008).
RETAILLEAU, Sylvie, (H = 13, > 440 citations): UPS-11, PR1

Other assessment points: Vice Dean of the Faculty of Physics, University Paris-Sud, since 2008, Member of the board of the Department of Physics, University Paris-Sud (2007-2008), Head of the Master IST-EEA, University Paris-Sud, (2006-2008), Member of the "molecular and quantum electronics" board committee within the C’Nano IdF (2004-2010), Head of the "Pôle Ile-de-France-Sud" of the CNFM (coordination nationale de la formation en microélectronique et nanotechnologies) (since 2004), Head of the research group CMO-COQUINE at IEF since 2002.
BOURNEL, Arnaud, (H = 12, > 330 citations): UPS-11, PR2

Distinctions: Prix du jeune chercheur du Club nanotechnologie (2000)

Other assessment points: Head of the Master IST-EEA, University Paris-Sud, since 2008, Head of the "Pôle Ile de France du Réseau Doctoral en Microélectronique" since 2000, Scientific coordinator of the nanoelectronics group of OMNT since 2010, Next Head of the GDR 2054 "Nanoelectronics" currently in renewal (2011-2014), Head of the research group CMO-PACUME at IEF since 2004.
QUERLIOZ, Damien, (H = 5, > 81 citations): CNRS, CR2

Other assessment points: 26 years-old, recruited at IEF in 2010 on a CR2 CNRS position after a post-doc at Stanford University, already 1^st author of a reference book on the Wigner formalism of quantum transport in nanodevices (with P. Dollfus)
DAGENS, Béatrice, (H = 16, > 870 citations): CNRS, DR2

Other assessment points: head of research department IEF-MMS, 14 patents, 6 invited conferences, 5 postdeadline papers, expert of European project FAST ACCESS (2006-2008), Member of CNRS “Comité National” (2003-2004), Member of the Technical committee of the international conference PIS (2007-2009), Member of the Evaluation Committee of ANR Verso (2009), Coordinator of the ANR “blanc” project PLACIDO (2009-2011), Member of the “Nanofabrication et nanostructuration” board committee of C’Nano IdF since 2008.
CROZAT, Paul, (H = 18, > 1000 citations): UPS-11, PR1

Major publications (IF>7): 2 PRL

Other assessment points: Member of UFR des sciences since 2004, Direction of « commission communication et projets étudiants à l’UFR des sciences »
COLOMBELLI, Raffaele, (H = 16, > 1000 citations): CNRS, DR2 (in 2010

Distinctions: prix Euryi (European Young Investigator Award) from European Science Foundation (2005)

Major publications (IF>7): 4 PRL, 2 Nature, 1 Science, 1 Nature Photonics

Other assessment points: 20 invited conferences, head of research group PHOTIS-QCL
TCHERNYCHEVA, Maria, (H = 17 > 700 citations): CNRS, CR1

Distinctions: Prix Madeleine Lecocq de l’Académie des Sciences (2006)

Major publications (IF>7): 3 Nanoletters

Other assessment points: 31 years old, 20 invited conférences, head of research group IEF NANOPHILE
JULIEN, François, (H = 27 > 2300 citations): CNRS, DR1

Distinctions: Médaille Blondel 1998

Major publications (IF>7): 1 PRL., 1 Science, 1 Nano Letters

Other assessment points: 67 invited conférences, head of research department IEF PHOTIS. Coordinator of EC FP6 FET program “NitWave” and FP7 FET-OPEN “Unitride” program.
BOUCHIER, Daniel, (H = 20 > 1300 citations): CNRS, DR1

Other assessment points: Deputy Director of IEF, head of research department SiGeC and of the CTU IEF MINERVE
VIVIEN, Laurent, (H = 21 > 1200 citations): CNRS, CR1

Major publications (IF>7): The article on optical gain in carbon nanotubes has been one of the Top20 download papers in AIP journal in June, and 2 press releases have been written by nanotechweb and Physorg. Tutorial in the plenary session on silicon photonics at SPIE Phonics Europe 2006

Other assessment points : expert ERC, expert European project PhotonFab, expert 2 OMNT groups, expert Technologies photoniques émergentes INSIS, member of ANR International and ANR Blanc committee, Member and secretary of CNRS "Comité National" (section 08), head of research group IEF MINAPHOT
CASSAN, Eric, (H = 17 > 760 citations): UPS-11, PR2

Other assessment points: in charge for Paris-Sud-11 of the “Chinese-French Graduate School in Photonics and Laser Sciences” since 2009, head of research group IEF PICOROUT
IZARD, Nicolas, (H = 8, > 200 citations): CNRS, CR2 (since 2010)

Distinctions: prix JSPS (Japan Society for Promotion of Science) postdoctoral fellowship (from 2007 to 2009).

Major publications (IF>7): 1 JACS

Other assessment points: The article on the optical gain in carbon nanotubes (APL, 2010) was on the Top 20 most downloaded paper in June 2010. There was also two press releases written by nanotechweb and physorg. The paper on the semiconducting carbon nanotubes FET devices (APL 92 (2008) 143112) get a significant impact with a press release from AIST and news articles in 3 Japanese journals.
DEGIRON, Aloyse, (H = 15, > 1600 citations): CNRS CR2 (since 2009)

Distinctions : Chaire Junior RTRA Triangle de la physique

Major publications (IF>7): 1 Science, 1 PRL, 1 Nature Physics
DE LUSTRAC, André, (H = 9, > 290 citations): PR1

Other assessment points: Member of the Administration Council of the French national frequencies Agency since 2009, Scientific Adviser at the General Directorate for Research and Innovation of the Ministry of Higher Education and Research since 2006, in charge of the micro and nanoelectronics, Director of the department of Industrial Systems and Communication Technics of the Paris X University from 2002 to 2007, Director of the Master of Engineering Sciences of Paris X University from 2002 to 2007, Member of the Network of Excellence Metamorphose since 2002, reviewer for several scientific journals (APL, JAP, Phys. Rev. B, Optics Express, Electronic Letters,..), Head of the research group CRIME of the IEF since 2002, Winner of the emerging business creation competition of the Ministry of Higher Education and Research in 2008.
ANIEL, Frédéric, (H = 13, > 470 citations): UPS-11, PR2

Other assessment points: Head of research group NAEL-EPHYCAS at IEF, President of CSE and CCSU 63 of University of Paris-Sud.
Available equipments:

A large part of IEF activities in the fields of nanoelectronics, spintronics, nanophotonics and micro-nanosystems are based on the technology facility centre "CTU-MINERVE" which belongs to the national BTR network, together with centres located at IEMN, LAAS, FEMTO-ST, CEA-LETI and LPN. This centre offers a complete set of recent equipments compatible with 100 and 200 mm wafers, for thin film deposition, epitaxial growth, optical and e-beam lithography, plasma or chemical etching, back-end processing, etc… In particular, it includes:

- 2 state of the art UHV-CVD cluster tools. The first one allows magnetron plasma sputtering of metals and oxides, pulsed laser epitaxy of oxides and perovskites, and chemically assisted ion beam etching (CAIBE). The second one includes in-situ monitoring and characterisation techniques (RHEED, XPS, micro-AES), two CVD chambers for epitaxial growth of IV-IV nano-materials and a chamber devoted to an original technique of pulsed laser-induced epitaxy (PLIE).

- a multichamber MBE deposition cluster for ultrathin metallic films and nanostructures deposition, equipped with in situ STM/AFM and magnetooptical charaterization.

- State of the art lithography facilities including a 100 keV e-beam aligner.

- Patterning techniques including etching based on capacitive or inductively coupled plasmas from fluorinated or chlorinated chemistries, in addition to standard RIE and ICP equipments.

In addition to processing facilities, many characterization techniques are available at IEF, including:

- A new 10,000-class 100m² clean room recently implemented with a set of equipments for mechanical, thermal and physico-chemical characterization of thin films, MEMS and NEMS.

- Several optoelectronic benches for the characterization of (i) integrated passive and active devices (45 MHz – 50 GHz), (ii) free space devices, (iii) integrated optics coupled with nano-second OPO laser.

- Visible and infra-red microscopy, micro-photoluminescence spectroscopy, femto-second optical sources …

- High frequency characterization: THz time domain spectroscopy, optical pump-THz probe setups, photomixing measurement (0.05-3 THz), 67 GHZ sampling oscilloscope, vector network analyzers (67 GHz and 80 GHz), bolometer …

- Setups of magnetic characterization for material and devices, including AGFM, MOKE, angled-spectral reflectometry, spectral guided transmission with 3D magnetic field control, SHG, polar Kerr microscopy, C(V), I(V) and P(E) measurement tool under low magnetic field (1 kGauss) with temperature ranging from 10K to 400K, …

- The emerging nano-bio group is equipped with an optical bench (ISOLASER) for transmission/reflection spectroscopic measurements in liquid media and with an optical bench for FRET/fluorescence measurements.

- PC clusters for large scale computational activities.

Besides this existing equipment, IEF/nano is a partner of two EquipeX projects: (i) TEMPOS (Transmission electron microscopy at Palaiseau Orsay Saclay) and (ii) Tomography X (for bonded material interface observation).