IMPACT FROM EXCELLENCE
2014
I n s t i t i ú i d
N á i s i ú n t a
About us
Introduction
Tyndall National Institute is one of Europe’s leading research centres in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) hardware and systems. Specialising in both electronics and photonics - materials, devices and systems, we are globally leading in our core research areas of:
At Tyndall National Institute, we’re proud to be globally leading in our core research areas. However, where we also excel is our sharp focus on driving real economic impact from our excellent research. Our ambitious 5-year strategic plan, developed in 2013, sets out a clear strategy to create employment and build capacity within the Irish technology space.
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Smart Circuits and Systems Micro and Nano Technology Microelectronics and Photonics Integration Nano Materials and Structures Materials and Device Processing Flexible Wafer Fabrication
To accompany our plan, we also developed an implementation scorecard to measure Impact from Excellence and we’re delighted to say we are hitting our key milestones.
With a network of over 200 industry partners and customers worldwide, we are focused on delivering real impact from our excellent research. We generate approx. €30M in income each year, with over 85% coming from competitively won contracts.
This brochure outlines the successes we’ve achieved on the road to reaching our 2018 targets. We hope it gives you a taste for the world-leading research and strong industry partnerships we’ve accomplished to date.
As Ireland’s largest research institute, we host over 460 researchers, engineers and support staff, including over 120 full-time postgraduate students. Together we generate over 200 peer-reviewed publications each year.
More information on our activities can be found at www.tyndall.ie Best wishes,
We are a lead partner in European ICT enabled research worth approx. €48M, including €10M for Irish partners from the EU Framework 7 program.
Our institute hosts the only full Si CMOS, Micro-ElectronicMechanical Systems (MEMS) and III-V Wafer Semiconductor fabrication facilities and services in Ireland. We are experts at designing, miniaturising and prototyping products particularly in the electronics, medical devices, energy and communications sectors.
The excellent research carried out at Tyndall has resulted in 10 Spin-Out companies with even more in the pipeline.
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I n s t i t i ú i d
N á i s i ú n t a
Dr. Kieran F. Drain CEO, Tyndall National Institute
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Research Excellence The foundation of Tyndall lies in our research excellence. The work carried out in theory, modelling & design, photonics and micronano systems have resulted in many awards and accolades. Some of our highlights include: • Tyndall researchers RENEW international collaboration to unlock energy potential in water • State-of-the-art Directed Self Assembly • Development of the smallest top down pattered Germanium Nanowires conducting current • Thin Film Form for Memory Apps at Room Temperature • Vibrational Energy Harvesting through Electromagnetic Transduction for Wireless Sensors • Nano-Sensors for Safe and Cost-effective Detection of Organic Contamination in Liquids • Nanowire BioSensor Arrays for Autonomous Sensing • World’s first MEMS based Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer System • Entangled Photons from Site Controlled Quantum Dots • Light Emission from Germanium Nano-layers • Silicon Photonics – Integrated Photonic Packaging • Divide-by-three frequency synthesisers • 50 GHz mm-wave CMOS active inductors • Design of New Photocatalysts • Energy-efficient telecom lasers
IMPACT FROM EXCELLENCE
Details of these research highlights are available at www.tyndall.ie
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Industry Focus We provide new technological solutions across all industries but are particularly active in Communications, Energy, Health, Agriculture, Food and the Environment: COMMUNICATIONS
ENERGY
HEALTH
AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND THE ENVIRONMENT
The ever-growing use of electronic communications is driving demand for new higher speed and more efficient technologies. Through exploiting our core competence in ICT we will deliver:
Integrating ICT to the systems in our home, workplace and outdoor environment offers an enormous opportunity to reduce energy consumption.
The convergence of ICT into healthcare applications has infinite benefits. At Tyndall, we’re proud to say we are at the forefront of driving these advances.
As global environmental pressures increase, there’s a real need for new tools and technologies for prevention, monitoring and mitigation in these sectors.
We’re applying our ICT technology to deliver smarter and greener solutions for:
We’re creating cutting-edge solutions in diagnostics, therapeutics and monitoring that will enable:
We’re using our expertise to develop smart systems and demonstrating their impact by deploying them in real environmental scenarios in the areas of:
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Reduced cost, energy efficient and high bandwidth next generation Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) networks High capacity, Terabit/sec coherent communication systems New technologies for beyond standard fibre capacity limits High speed electronic solutions for extended reach transmission ‘Colourless’, energy efficient metro switching nodes Ultrafast on-the-fly all optical packet processing High speed all-optical sampling for device characterisation Ultra-secure quantum key distribution networks 1 Terabit/in2 magnetic storage technology
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Building energy management Micro-grid management (generation and storage) and integration with the smart grid Energy efficient lighting Energy harvesting and storage High efficiency solar cells Advanced power semiconductors Conditional monitoring of devices, machinery and systems to monitor energy and resource efficiency and enable predictive maintenance and auto-commissioning ICT wired and wireless networks for home and industry, from buildings & factories to micro-grids and extending to smart cities and smart grid systems
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New technologies for early diagnosis and continuous monitoring New technologies enabling personalised and /or targeted therapeutic delivery New integrated systems which combine early diagnosis and therapy New or less invasive surgical interventions New sensors and systems for technology enhanced learning to ensure clinical competence
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Air, water and soil quality monitoring; Flood risk alert and management Pollution monitoring and associated health risks Remote chemical sensing for safe clean harbours Marine ecology Smart agriculture Process analytical technologies for monitoring of beverages On-site sensors for forensic Chemical, Biological, Radiological & Nuclear (CBRN) investigation at crime scenes Environmental and border security On-farm animal disease detection
Case Studies INTEL Intel is a world leader in computing innovation, building the essential technologies that serve as the foundation for the world’s computing devices. Tyndall and Intel have been working closely together for a number of years and following a successful collaboration from 2009 to 2012, Intel have further committed to Tyndall with a 3 year investment. Tyndall and Intel researchers will investigate next generation materials, devices and photonics technologies to build on the excellent work from the first phase of this program and look to enable key innovations for future electronic devices.
Engaging with Industry At Tyndall National Institute, we continue to deliver outstanding research and economic impact through our world leading facilities, capabilities and expertise. We have developed solid, longterm relationships with our current industry partners and are actively looking to attract new clients from targeted sectors who can leverage our capabilities and facilities for their own gain.
ICT continues to create new opportunities and innovations across a wide variety of sectors. This has resulted in new Research Development and Innovation (RD&I) opportunities for Ireland which in turn sustain Irish jobs. Our diverse and multidisciplinary ecosystem continues to drive innovation and inward investment with the support of IDA and Enterprise Ireland. We’re proud to say we contribute significantly to the local, regional and national economy.
Dr. Mike Mayberry, Director of Components Research in Portland Oregon said “Through their publications and technology, Tyndall researchers continue to demonstrate their ability to innovate and invent technologies that could potentially advance the frontiers of semiconductor technology”.
ANALOG DEVICES Analog Devices Incorporated (ADI) has been in business in Ireland for the past 30 years and currently employs over 1,000 people here. The company is a leading manufacturer of very high precision analog, mixed signal, Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and RF integrated circuits (ICs) used in electronic equipment. Tyndall’s relationship with industry partner Analog Devices dates back to 1982, when the Institute was known as the NMRC (National Microelectronics Research Centre). Over the years the two organisations have collaborated on a number of projects together. Bill Lane, Director Process Development – Ireland said “The projects we run in Tyndall are designed to explore process technologies we don’t currently know anything about, in other words emerging new technologies. What we get is a very early introduction and the opportunity to investigate what would be required to bring these new technologies into manufacturing. We have licensed or acquired several new technologies over the years from Tyndall/NMRC. Tyndall has the people to help explore those unknown places with us.” EBLANA PHOTONICS Eblana Photonics is a lead supplier of laser components to EU sponsored research projects and has developed solid links with Tyndall because of their expertise in laser physics and semiconductor device fabrication. CEO Jim Somers recognises that Tyndall’s capabilities and facilities have improved especially in photonics and photonics integration. “The research work that Tyndall is carrying out for us in the area of photonics is very important for us and that’s what made us decide to partake in the The Irish Photonic Integration Centre (IPIC) programme at Tyndall”. He adds, “Some of the individual researchers, people like Frank Peters, Peter O’Brien and Brian Corbett within Tyndall are highly regarded experts in their fields worldwide, and to be able to tap into this and literally have it on our doorstep is very significant.”
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PMD SOLUTIONS
X-CELEPRINT
Established in 2011, PMD Solutions (PMD) is a Cork-based company, with Enterprise Ireland ‘High Potential Start Up’ status. This endorsement recognises the global sales potential of PMD’s products and its vision of establishing their premier product ‘RespiraSense’ as the global industry standard in respiratory rate monitoring.
X-Celeprint, headquartered in Tyndall National Institute, Cork, is the developer and sole licensor of patented Micro-Transfer-Printing (μTP ) technology. Originally invented in Professor John Roger’s laboratory at the University of Illinois, μTP is a cost-effective and scalable manufacturing platform which can have a far-reaching impact on reducing assembly and manufacturing costs for electronic and photonic devices or enabling new applications.
Myles Murray, CEO of PMD Solutions explains “PMD first engaged with Tyndall in 2012 and their subsequent input at that stage, supported the growth of the company from idea to concept validation. What attracted us in the first instance was their innovative modular electronic platform. Since then, PMD has committed to sponsor Tyndall in a Science Foundation Ireland funded initiative to develop pipeline products that add value to the healthcare community.” According to Myles Murray, “When it comes to the transfer of technology from academia to industry, Tyndall is ahead of the curve. They have a strong focus on commercialising technology with industry partners that add value to the world.” BOSTON SCIENTIFIC Established in Ireland in 1994, Boston Scientific has grown to be the largest medical device employer in Ireland. The Irish manufacturing operation is an integral part of the corporation’s manufacturing strategy and capability. Such is its commitment to R&D and innovation, that it invests $1bn annually in new products and technologies Boston Scientific started working with Tyndall National Institute in 2013. Outlining what attracted them to Tyndall, Michael Kane, Fellow, Process Development says, “Tyndall has a good reputation as a technological centre, so they were already on our radar. They are especially well regarded for their capabilities in the areas of micro-fabrication, integrated circuit analysis, and reliability domains, plus they have the ability to branch into different applications around those technologies.” The skills and strengths that Tyndall can leverage for the medtech sector may not be immediately obvious to those outside the sector, but those working within it can appreciate what Tyndall has to offer. “With medical devices, the part that most people focus on is the interface to the body and to medicine, but that’s like looking at the pacemaker from the outside only,” observes Kane. “If you look deeper into the pacemaker, it’s about sophisticated electronics: precision circuits, clinical algorithms, bio-sensors and radio communications, all of it contained within this €2 coin-sized pacemaker. Those are perfect matches for the excellent technologies on campus at Tyndall, especially the MCCI working group at Tyndall.” MACOM M/A-COM Technology Solutions (MACOM) is a leading provider of high performance analog semiconductor solutions for use in wireless and wireline applications across the radio frequency (RF), microwave and millimeterwave spectrum. With a heritage in the RF industry that dates back to 1950, it designs and manufactures standard and custom devices, integrated circuits, components, modules, and sub-systems for customers who demand high performance, quality and reliability. MACOM has enjoyed a long working relationship with Tyndall National Institute. According to David Ryan, Business Development Manager, “We recognise Tyndall’s standing as a leader in the field of photonics and we appreciate the quality of skills available at Tyndall. We hold Tyndall in high esteem and are delighted to have such an excellent resource so close by.” According to David Ryan, “Being able to demonstrate the benefits we gain from access to the resources at Tyndall has helped MACOM’s Cork base strengthen its hand when it comes to making a continued case for investment and growth with the company.”
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CEO Kyle Benkendorfer says the decision to locate at Tyndall was simple. “We had two large potential customers who recommended that we check out Tyndall. When we did, we were very impressed by the people, the work going on here and the facilities.” Locating in Tyndall makes good commercial sense for X-Celeprint. “We need access to special facilities, and being on campus allows us to leverage excellent facilities without investing in costly equipment.” ANVIL SEMICONDUCTORS Conventional, cheap and proven silicon devices are used to switch and control power in electrical systems. However, Silicon Carbide (SiC) devices are considerably more efficient but ten times more expensive. That’s about to change thanks to the design of SiC devices from Anvil Semiconductors who will offer a far superior performance to conventional silicon, at the same price. AnvilSemiconductors partnership with Tyndall has helped them move along this commercial process. CEO Jill Shaw explained “Although Tyndall didn’t have the direct silicon carbide experience we wanted, they have considerable experience in device fabrication in Si and compound semiconductors. They had the facilities we required and were willing to take on the challenge to quickly climb the learning curve,” Looking to the future, she says, “Tyndall can accommodate small production batches which are a real advantage for us. We don’t view this as a one-off job, we anticipate a long-term relationship and we already have an ongoing contract in place.” RADISENS DIAGNOSTICS Radisens Diagnostics has developed a pioneering point-of-care diagnostic platform that breaks new ground in the decentralisation of routine blood tests, moving them from laboratories into the GPs’ surgeries, hospital bedsides and other point-of-care settings. Radisens first engaged with Tyndall in 2012, initially through a very successful Enterprise Ireland sponsored Innovation Partnership project, the outcome of which the company is currently building upon. CEO Jerry O’Brien says, “From there, we have extended the relationship through our participation in the Irish Photonic Integration Centre (IPIC) at Tyndall, within which Tyndall is working on a multi-year targeted project for us.” He is impressed by the level of expertise at Tyndall. “The Principal Investigator at Tyndall, which leads our collaboration, has several years of relevant industry and start-up experience. Therefore, the Tyndall team has a great understanding of industry needs coupled with a practical can-do attitude.” Looking to the future, Jerry O’Brien is in no doubt that the relationship between Radisens and Tyndall will continue and evolve. “The IPIC framework is much more flexible and industry friendly than any previous academic/industry collaboration mechanism that I have seen. We are already exploring follow-on projects.”
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Research Centres hosted at Tyndall We collaborate and share our worldclass facilities with four hosted research centres in the areas of microelectronics, applied nanotechnology, energy efficiency and integrated photonics.
Skilled Graduates
IERC
The IERC delivers world leading collaborative research to meet global societal needs for secure, affordable and sustainable energy services. The centre has driven 7 research projects to date with a total value of approx. €5m and has established 4 test bed environments in the areas of air conditioning unit monitoring, thermal energy storage and energy management for home and factory environments.
MCCI MCCI is a world leading industry-led analogue and mixed-signal circuits research centre. 17 projects with 25 companies span applications from high end computing to medical devices. MCCI successes include 10 staff transfers to industry, 5 commercial technology licences and assisting in the creation of over 120 attributable jobs in partner companies in Ireland.
Educating the next generation of scientists is an important role for us. Our worldclass research and excellent facilities have allowed us to attract the brightest international minds. We currently have 122 post-graduate students based here, 110 of these are at PhD level.
IPIC The Irish Photonic Integration Centre (IPIC) develops next generation highly compact and miniturised photonic components and systems. It works across the full innovation cycle from low volume prototype production and testing with 18 industry partners, to developing faster and more energy-efficient optical communication systems, smart optically-enabled medical devices and novel sensors for environmental monitoring.
CCAN
We recognise that today’s graduates require a broader set of business and communication skills to succeed. Our post graduate students have a unique opportunity to gain a postgraduate level certificate in Innovation, Commercialisation and Entrepreneurship (ICE) in association with UCC’s College of Business and Law. This additional training helps to promote an entrepreneurial culture at Tyndall.
Working with a team of 20 member companies and 5 universities, the CCAN engagement model is recognised as best-in-class in Europe for materials-driven innovation. CCAN enables companies to easily work together in the development of nano-enabled products for medical device and ICT sectors. CCAN’s successes to date include executing 3 technology licences to companies based in Ireland and enabling 2 new companies to locate in Ireland.
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International Energy Research Centre
The success of Tyndall and our hosted centres; MCCI, CCAN, IERC and IPIC mutually benefit each other in establishing market leader positions in RD&I.
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Tyndall Impact Scorecard Job Creation
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Research Excellence
Skilled Graduates
Industry Investment
Funding
International Reach
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Jobs target defined at 500 for new strategic plan 80 jobs announced by Hittite, Ublock and Qualcomm crediting Tyndall and MCCCI support Tyndall SME partners PMD, Endecco and Brockley currently expanding
013 Intel Outstanding Researcher Award for work on developing photonics 2 for applications in semiconductor technology - Mr. Brian Corbett Rank career award for pioneering work on optoelectronics - prof. Eoin O’Reilly IMF Gold Medal for excellence in surface engineering - Prof. Martyn Pemple More than 200 peer reviewed publications in 2013
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31 PhD viva examinations completed during the year Over 120 active postgraduate students 20 nationalities represented
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Research contracts secured with 4 of the worlds top ten Medtech companies MCCI increases membership to 24 countries Preferred partner to industry in Microelectronics and photonics Researchers-in-residence from 10 companies Tyndall Technology Days with over 300 attendees
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Funding from EU FP7 twice that from FP6 Industry contribution increased to €7m. New Irish Photonic Integration Centre funded by SFI up to €30m Strong performance in a challenging funding environment
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Partnership agreement with PCH to accelerate start-up activity MOU with Politechnico Turin to support H2020 collaboration Launched University of Notre Dame collaboration in NanoElectronics, Microsystems & Photonics Led ICT section of SFI China ISCA building collaboration with Beijing Institute of Technology Training fab supports international reach in EMEA
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Tyndall in Numbers
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spin-outs
200
industry partners worldwide
€30m
income each year
120+
graduate students
200+ 24
peer-reviewed publications generated each year
researchers in-residence
14
460
researchers, engineers and support staff
38
nationalities
I n s t i t i ú i d
N á i s i ú n t a
Tyndall National Institute Lee Maltings, Dyke Parade, Cork, Ireland T. +353 21 4904177 E. info@tyndall.ie www.tyndall.ie