STFC
Image courtesy of Dreamstime.com.Award-winning business incubator I-TAC (Innovations Technology Access Centre) offers industry-unique access to leading research facilities, business support and specialist expertise at an affordable price across two national science and innovation campuses. As part of the technology suite at the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) Harwell Oxford campus I-TAC MNT (micro and nano technology centre) provides design and manufacture at prototyping level and general test, process and class I biological laboratories. The centre offers flexible access to cleanroom facilities, as well as I-TAC office and hot-desk space, access to state-of-the-art specialist equipment and STFC’s world-leading science capabilities.
I-TAC is a new approach to driving UK competitiveness in global science and innovation, providing a unique environment for innovation and business growth with many opportunities for knowledge sharing, collaboration and networking. The business incubator is expert in developing new MNT processes and novel processing equipment. It is the perfect environment to develop commercial and academic R&D and low volume production of MNT devices and products. I-TAC MNT facilities enable microelectronic and MEMS design and analysis, while STFC’s high performance computing resources offer significant simulation and modelling capabilities. A dedicated business support team is also on hand to assist in business development and project management.
I-TAC MNT boasts an extensive range of capabilities, including: lithography, deposition, etching, chemical mechanical polishing, wafer cleaning, metrology and test, dicing/die attach, wafer bonding, screen and stencil printing, indium evaporation and bump bonding, elecrospinning of nano fibres, electroplating centre, powder blasting for MNT/ micro electronic devices. Access to high-density wire bonding and bump bonding, and a suite of metrology tools and cleanrooms for assembly.
I-TAC has a strong track record of supporting the growth of high-tech small and medium sized businesses, and has produced many spin-out companies including Oxsensis, Microvisk and The Electrospinning Company. Available business support, such as providing access to funding and Intellectual Property (IP) or technology transfer expertise, encourages tenants to push their technologies from concept through to commercial success.
Around 150 different organisations are already based at Harwell Oxford, including the UK’s national synchrotron facility, the Diamond Light Source, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Central Laser Facility (CLF). The incubator attracts a lot of interest including Government Ministers and international trade organisations, it also boasts strategic partnerships with the British Chamber of Commerce’s Link to China programme and organisations such as UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), Technology Strategy Board (TSB), ESA and universities.
I-TAC MNT Facilities Manager Ian Clarke said of the centre:
“ITAC is unique in the UK and one of very few facilities in Europe in that it offers “open access“ to MNT facilities and provides product, process and business support to customers. This is supported and enhanced by our tenant companies who provide processing and technical services in areas such as wafer bonding, electron beam lithography and process development. As a UK government funded initiative we are very pleased to be able to contribute to the success and growth of commercial companies and academic R&D.”
Micronanics Case Study
Micronanics, a hugely successful micro manufacturing tenant at ITAC –MNT, have been at the facilities for three years. The company operates the Laser Solutions Centre, providing customers with novel and innovative breakthrough solutions for manufacturing items and assemblies for research and industrial markets. They are able to process most materials including metals, Diamond, ceramics, Sapphire and polymers, working on features sizes below 10 microns. Active in a wide range of disciplines their work includes machining bespoke probes for brain analysis, microfluidic devices, manufacturing targets for high power lasers and fine masks for sputtering applications.
Neil Sykes, Micronanics MD said of his experience at I-TAC:
“Our facility requires gases, power, an extract system and controlled access labs, and ITAC has located all these facilities. Being a small company we sometimes require assistance in other areas and ITAC have met these requirements. ITAC has a large range of commercially available facilities that we have accessed; these facilities not only help us but also help us to meet other companies who can use our facilities. Micronanics has really benefitted from the large range of facilities in the surrounding area and the ability to meet like-minded companies.”
