Thermo Fisher subsidiary manufacturing electron microscopes and metrology systems for semiconductor fabrication and nanoscale materials analysis across Europe.
FEI Electron Optics (now part of Thermo Fisher Scientific) designs and manufactures advanced electron microscopy and charged-particle beam systems used for nanoscale imaging, metrology, and materials analysis. Within H2020, they supply the critical measurement and inspection instruments that enable Europe's semiconductor industry to push toward sub-5nm chip manufacturing. Their equipment is essential for process control in semiconductor fabrication, as well as for scientific research in cryo-electron microscopy and tomography. They sit at the intersection of precision instrumentation and semiconductor R&D, providing the "eyes" that let researchers and manufacturers see and control structures at the atomic scale.
Consistent participation across the full semiconductor node roadmap from 7nm (SeNaTe) through 5nm (TAKE5, TAKEMI5) to 3nm (TAPES3, PIN3S) and 2nm (IT2, ID2PPAC), always providing metrology and inspection tools.
Core technology provider in EBEAM, DeCEMIS, MUMMERING, Q-SORT, and MINEON — spanning transmission electron microscopy, cryo-EM, and miniaturized electron optics.
MADEin4 (their largest-funded project at EUR 1.7M) focused on AI-driven metrology platforms for digitized manufacturing, and 3DAM which they coordinated for 3D advanced metrology.
DeCEMIS (democratized cryo-EM imaging) and EBEAM (electron beams for analytical microscopy) both launched in 2021, signaling a push into life-science and materials characterization markets.
MUMMERING focused on multiscale, multimodal 3D/4D imaging combining electron microscopy with synchrotron techniques, while Q-SORT explored quantum-enhanced electron microscopy.
In the early period (2015–2018), FEI focused on fundamental semiconductor node development (7nm, 5nm) and exploratory scientific projects like quantum electron sorting (Q-SORT) and advanced tomography (MUMMERING). From 2019 onward, the focus sharpened dramatically toward metrology, inspection, and process control equipment for sub-3nm semiconductor manufacturing, with keywords like "metrology," "DTCO/STCO," and "heterogeneous integration" dominating. Simultaneously, a secondary thread emerged in cryo-electron microscopy and analytical microscopy (DeCEMIS, EBEAM), suggesting diversification toward life-science instrumentation markets.
FEI is converging on two high-growth areas — AI-powered semiconductor metrology for advanced nodes and democratized cryo-electron microscopy — making them a strong partner for projects at the intersection of instrumentation and either chip manufacturing or structural biology.
FEI operates almost exclusively as a specialist participant (14 of 16 projects), contributing proprietary equipment and measurement expertise to large consortia rather than leading them. They coordinated only once (3DAM), suggesting they prefer to supply critical instrumentation components while others manage project administration. With 194 unique partners across 21 countries, they are a highly connected hub — virtually every major European semiconductor and microscopy consortium includes them as an equipment provider.
FEI has collaborated with 194 distinct partners across 21 countries, reflecting their position as an indispensable equipment supplier in European semiconductor and microscopy research. Their network is heavily weighted toward the ECSEL Joint Undertaking ecosystem, connecting them to all major European chipmakers, research institutes, and equipment suppliers.
FEI (Thermo Fisher Scientific) is one of very few companies in Europe that both manufactures electron microscopes and actively participates in semiconductor process R&D at the most advanced nodes. Where most equipment makers simply sell tools, FEI co-develops next-generation metrology and imaging solutions inside the consortia that define Europe's chip roadmap. For any project needing advanced nanoscale characterization — whether in semiconductors, materials science, or structural biology — FEI brings both the instruments and deep application knowledge that no university lab can match.
