Trained personnel from other universities and laboratories are able to use MIT.nano's facilities for non-commercial research in micro and nano fabrication. This includes faculty and graduate students from universities and staff members from U.S. government laboratories.
Researchers from corporations are not eligible for this program. However, corporations that are members of the Microsystems Industrial Group (MIG) or the MIT.nano Consortium can send visitors and scientists to MIT.nano under the terms of their membership. Other companies, both domestic and foreign, can utilize MIT.nano's facilities as external users.
Criteria for Acceptance
A project being worked on at MIT.nano must satisfy the following criteria:
- The proposed project must involve a clear research purpose with the intent of publication of results.
- The proponent must supply a person who is qualified to do the work at MIT.nano. Normally, this means someone with prior processing experience equivalent to that obtained through the lab-only version of MIT’s “Micro/Nano Processing Technology” course 3.155J/6.152J. In general, processing for the project will not be done by staff members.
- The proposed project must be compatible with the fabrication facilities, from the point of view of materials and required process steps, as well as available fab capacity; projects will not be allowed if the added load or requirements would have deleterious effects on other projects. A project that requires use of the ICL or TRL must be approved by the Process Technology Committee (PTC).
- The proponent must identify a source of funds to pay for all fabrication costs, including computer accounts, under the cost structure. This normally consists of a blanket purchase order for an amount equal to the estimated total costs of the project. Fabrication fees will be invoiced and charged monthly.
Application and Approval Process
>> Follow these steps for new external users.
As part of the new user steps, the person doing the work must complete all MIT.nano safety and EHS requirements and be qualified individually on all necessary pieces of equipment by the technical staff. External projects share the same priority as other student-run research projects.
Citations and Reports
All approved projects must submit suitable material for inclusion in the Annual Report. All reports and publications must include acknowledgement of the use of MIT.nano resources as follows: "This work was carried out in part through the use of MIT.nano's facilities."
Intellectual Property
While the primary purpose of allowing external users is not the generation of MIT-owned intellectual property, when MIT personnel make significant technical contributions to a non-MIT project, these contributions should be recognized. Accordingly, any personnel who participate directly in an approved project will be asked to execute an intellectual property agreement which asserts that MIT may have a right to shared ownership of those portions of the project to which significant intellectual contributions are made by MIT personnel.