Company Overview

Overview The Institute for Microstructural Sciences (IMS) is a government laboratory at the National Research Council. Major themes of the Institute's research programs are advanced electronic devices, optoelectronics and electronic and photonic materials.

Organization The IMS has ten functional groups which work in collaboration with each other on the five main program areas. These program areas which are subdivided into major projects, are carried out in partnership with industrial partnerships or individual companies. In addition to this research, the Institute provides client services on a cost recovery basis, licenses technology to companies and provides consulting services.

Research The Institute supports growth of Canadian businesses through a program encompassing artificially structured materials, the behaviour of photons and electrons in such materials, processing techniques, devices, device integration, signal processing and exploratory applications.

Optical Communications Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) Demo Device Integration Technology Silicon-based photonics Telecom filters

Optical communications at IMS covers research into the novel use of optoelectronic devices in order to create the next generation of communication hardware using fibre optics.

Wireless Communications Gallium Nitride Devices High Frequency Devices (Si and InP) Advanced Silicon Processes Superconductor processes and devices

The Wireless Communications Program at IMS involves the potential exploitation of advanced materials for the next generation of wireless components.

Multimedia Components Multimedia Components for Displays Field Emission Displays Infrared Imaging Arrays Base Acoustics Technologies

The Multimedia Components Program at IMS studies the base technologies used in the development of audio and display components.

Exploratory Research Nanoelectronics Organic-based Devices III-V Insulators (Oxides and Nitrides) Nano-optics

The Exploratory Program at IMS supports the mandate of the Institute to promote scientific excellence by providing the Institute's knowledge base and acting as a link to the international knowledge base.

Special Applications Thin film applications Diode pumping solid state lasers Anticounterfeiting

The Special Applications Program at IMS is devoted to working with Canadian industry for the exploitation of IMS-developed technology focussed on specific technical problems.

Facilities Assisting economic development by collaborating with industry and government is a principal mission of the Institute. IMS also provides access to special facilities and expertise where equivalent services are not available from Canadian industry. Services are available in the following areas:

• Compositional and structural characterization of surfaces,

interfaces and thin films

• Electrical and optical characterization of semiconductor

structures and devices

• Design and fabrication of optical thin films
• Focused Ion Beam microlithography and micromachining
• Prototype electronic and optoelectronic device fabrication
• Custom epitaxial growth of GaAs, InP and Si by Molecular Beam

Epitaxy (MBE), Chemical Beam Epitaxy (CBE) and Ultra High Vacuum, Chemical Vapour Deposition (UHV-CVD)

• Computer simulation for design of optical multilayer systems,

semiconductor waveguides and quantum well lasers

• Acoustic testing

Industrial Involvement The Institute operates in partnership with many industrial companies and with other government agencies, notably the Department of National Defence, the Canada Space Agency and Industry Canada (Communications Research Centre). The principal economic impact of IMS is derived form collaborative research and development projects with industry. The Institute generates revenue or in-kind assistance of over $2M per annum.

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Legal Name: NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL CANADA

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• Research And Development

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