Building on a track record of more than 20 years, CMC develops and delivers national research infrastructure to universities from coast to coast, enabling researchers and developers to design, manufacture and test their microsystems concepts for future applications in many industrial sectors.
This national program provides academic researchers with millions of dollars worth of microsystems tools and technologies that would otherwise exceed their reach. CMC offers products and services in microelectronics, MEMS, optoelectronics/photonics, microfluidics and embedded systems. This includes:
- Computer-aided design tools, methodologies and intellectual property including libraries
- Prototype manufacturing in technologies sourced worldwide
- Packaging, assembly and integration technologies
- Fixturing and test instrumentation
CMC is enabling researchers and developers to design, manufacture and test their microsystems concepts for
future applications in many industrial sectors.
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Consistency and support are key elements in the success of CMC's program.
- Consistency: CMC provides disk storage resources to ensure that the tools and technologies it supports are installed in the same configuration at more than 40 universities across Canada that are particularly active in microsystems areas. This means that CMC can develop its products for this consistent configuration and that the many researchers CMC supports can use the same EDA tools, design kits and flows, and other aspects of CMC's national program.
- Support: Tutorials, training courses, engineering support, and technical workshops are essential parts of CMC's program. They enable researchers and students to gain the necessary skills and solve problems related to the design or test environment as quickly as possible, and to focus on their specific projects.
As part of its national program, CMC manages the following pan-Canadian initiatives: System-on-Chip Research Network and the National Microelectronics and Photonics Testing Collaboratory.
The System-on-Chip Research Network (SOCRN):
The SOCRN allows university researchers and students to meet the challenge of the global shift from discrete chip-based electronics products to those that implement complete systems on a single chip. This Network is valued at $40 million and links hundreds of Canadian technology researchers at more than 35 universities across the country. It provides researchers with virtual and physical rapid prototyping platforms and embedded software tools to build field-programmable gate array prototypes that validate their research in a system context.
The National Microelectronics and Photonics Testing Collaboratory (NMPTC):
Through local and remote access, the NMPTC brings world-class test tools and techniques online for researchers at 21 Canadian universities. Valued at $23 million, the Collaboratory enables faculty and graduate students to access some of the best available resources to test and validate high-performance microelectronics and photonics designs. Four specialized laboratories host test equipment: the Advanced Photonic Systems Lab at Queen’s University, the Advanced Mixed-Signal Systems Lab at McGill University, the Advanced Digital Systems Lab at the University of Toronto and the Advanced RF Systems Lab at the University of Manitoba.
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