CMC is playing a key role in helping to build Canada’s semiconductor sector. Each of these manufactured chips are unique engineering prototypes with the potential for breakthroughs leading to licensed technology or start up companies. 386 of the prototypes were designed by academics in Canada, 71 from academics internationally, and 26 from industry and other organizations.
CMC has agreements in place with 68 Canadian universities and colleges through which students can access specialized software to design chips. They also have access to testing equipment and, most importantly, again through CMC, they can have their prototype chips manufactured by a chip foundry. This is critical to developing the next generation of innovators for industry in Canada.
Applied Nanotools (ANT) and Teledyne MEMS both of Edmonton are two companies with whom CMC has agreements in place to facilitate the manufacture of university researcher’s designs.
Teledyne MEMS Plant Manager, Steve Bonham is proud of his firm’s role in training new chip designers. “To be truly effective, researchers must have the tools and the processes to not only design integrated devices, but they also need to have their prototypes fabricated. It is the true test of their designs, and we are pleased to play a role in this network.”
Mirwais Aktary, President and CEO of Applied Nanotools has a similar take on his firm’s role with CMC. “We believe it’s important to support Canadian university designers because these individuals are the future of the industry in Canada.”
Gordon Harling, President of CMC said the demand for design and fabrication services continues to grow. “We make chip design and fabrication, an affordable and real-world process. And that makes for more highly qualified graduates that can join existing Canadian companies or start their own firms”.
About CMC Microsystems:
CMC Microsystems is a not-for-profit organization accelerating research and innovation in advanced technologies. Founded in 1984, CMC lowers barriers to technology adoption by creating and sharing platform technologies including access to state-of-the-art design, manufacturing, and testing capabilities. CMC enables research, development, and the training of highly qualified personnel (HQP), benefiting a network of over 10,000 academic participants and 1,000 companies developing innovations in advanced technologies. The key values of CMC are: benefits to Canada, a role as an honest broker, and research excellence.
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