The French government is supporting the creation of a number of collaborative research programmes in areas such as 3D semiconductor research,automotive electronic systems and nanotechnologies for smartphones.
At the heart of many of these programmes is the Grenoble-based Institute of Technological Research(IRT)
An IRT-based automotive technology research cluster includes Renault,Valeo,Continential and Mentor Graphics.
IRT is also the centre for the NanoElec Programme,a collaboration between universities,research organisation CEA-Leti and companies including Mentor Graphics,STMicroelectronics and Soitec.
Backing for the 10-year microelectronics programme has come from the French National Research Agency(ANR)and the CEA(French Atomic and Renewable Energy Commission).
According to Jean-Marie Saint-Paul,European director at Mentor Graphics,the research in Grenoble is important for local universities and companies because it will focus on emerging semiconductor technologies-3D IC integration and integrated silicon-photonics.
"We feel the industry faces challenges,not only in smaller geometries,but in stacked die and 3D IC technologies,"Saint-Paul told Electronics Weekly.
"We believe we cannot solve these problems in isolation,and so it is important to collaborate with customers in the Grenoble programme,"said Saint-Paul.
According to Saint-Paul,the French government wants to create a semiconductor cluster.
"It is a very aggressive approach to semiconductor research,the French government wants to see tangible results,"he said.
"For us we see it as an opportunity to work closely with ST and CEA-Leti on 3D ICs and silicon photonics,"said Saint-Paul.
He said that Mentor had been collaborating with ST since 2007 in the Nano2012 project based at the Crolles semiconductor facility.
That project ends this year and Saint-Paul said the new programme will build on this work of this collaboration in France.
The IRT's 3D IC programme will incorporate chip design,process technologies and design tools.
On-chip communications and sensors technologies will be a focus of the silicon-photonics R&D work at the IRT.
According to Saint-Paul,although the creation of the cluster in Grenoble is a 10-year project,he expected commercial results from the work in"3-year cycles".
There are still many technical challenges to be met before successfully achieving photonic functions on a silicon circuit:providing CAD design tools,developing specific components like laser sources,optical modulators,wide bandwidth photo-detectors,passive waveguides,wavelength multiplexers and demultiplexers.
"Thanks to the NanoElec IRT,we can work together to accelerate developments and open the applications field,"said Philippe Magarshack,STMicroelectronics v-p,Design Enablement&Services.
A nanotechnologies and embedded software research cluster in Grenoble,called Minalogic,is taking part in a project called NOMAD(Navigation on Mobile Objects and 3D Access)investigating the use of MEMS motion sensors and 3D graphics in mobile phones.
The project has created human-machine interface technology,such as the"Interaction"software toolbox for 2D and 3D graphics rendering to create alternatives to the traditional window,icon,menu and pointing-device interfaces
There is also the"Motion"software toolbox that uses motion sensors(accelerometers,magnetometers,gyroscopes)for implementing new"in-air"cursor control and gesture-based media content navigation
These were implemented on hardware and software platforms for Linux&Android smartphones.
Partners in the project include Myriad Group and ST-Ericsson,Calao Systems and Movea,as well as CEA-Leti and LIG–Grenoble Informatics Laboratory.
