NFFA-Europe · Project

One-Stop Access to Europe's Top Nanofabrication and Nanocharacterization Labs

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Imagine you need to build and test something incredibly tiny — smaller than a virus. Normally you'd need access to a dozen different expensive labs across Europe, each with different booking systems and procedures. NFFA-Europe connected nine major nanoscience sites across the continent into a single entry point, so a company can submit one proposal and get coordinated access to everything from fabrication equipment to supercomputers for simulation. Think of it as a one-stop shop for building and analyzing things at the nanoscale.

By the numbers

9,994,861

EUR EU contribution

consortium partners

countries represented

main nanoscience sites across Europe

10nm

resolution achieved with soft x-ray Fresnel zone plates

total project deliverables

sub-10nm

metal structures fabricated via atomic layer deposition

10nm

gaps in coplanar electrode arrays

The business problem

What needed solving

Companies developing nanotechnology-based products face a fragmented landscape of specialized labs — one for fabrication, another for X-ray characterization, yet another for simulation. Booking, shipping samples, and coordinating results across these facilities wastes months and inflates R&D budgets. SMEs and applied research teams are especially locked out because they lack the network and know-how to navigate these elite facilities.

The solution

What was built

A coordinated access platform linking 9 major nanoscience sites across Europe, plus concrete hardware: prototypes of fast scanning probe microscopy modules (STM and AFM), soft and hard x-ray Fresnel zone plates achieving 10nm and 20nm resolution, industry-friendly interoperable sample holders, multifunctional environmental cells, nanodrop cells, sub-10nm metal structures, coplanar electrode arrays with 10nm gaps, and a fully deployed testbed with data access services.

Audience

Who needs this

Semiconductor companies needing sub-10nm characterization and patterning R&DBiotech firms developing nanostructured implants or drug delivery surfacesAdvanced materials companies creating functional nanocoatings or nanosensorsSMEs with nanotechnology ideas but no access to fabrication or characterization equipmentAutomotive or aerospace suppliers exploring nano-enhanced materials

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Semiconductor & Electronics

any

Target: Chip designers and semiconductor fabrication companies

If you are a semiconductor company struggling with sub-10nm patterning or characterization — this project demonstrated fabrication of sub-10nm metal structures using atomic layer deposition and delivered soft x-ray Fresnel zone plates with 10nm resolution. Their coordinated access across 9 European sites means you can prototype, characterize, and simulate in one workflow instead of juggling separate facilities.

Medical Devices & Biotech

mid-size

Target: Companies developing nanostructured implants or drug delivery systems

If you are a biotech company developing nanostructured surfaces for implants or targeted drug delivery — this project tested 3D hierarchical scaffolds with embedded protein nanoparticles and natural biomolecules, plus 2D engineered surfaces with protein nanoparticles. Their nanodrop cell and multifunctional environmental cells let you characterize biological-nano interactions under realistic conditions.

Advanced Materials & Coatings

SME

Target: Companies developing functional coatings, sensors, or nanostructured materials

If you are a materials company needing precise nanostructure fabrication for sensors or functional coatings — this project built coplanar electrode arrays with 10nm gaps, 3D nanomagnets with sub-100nm resolution, and industry-friendly sample holders ensuring interoperability across facilities. Access to 23 partner labs through a single proposal cuts your R&D facility costs dramatically.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What does access to this infrastructure cost?

NFFA-Europe operated as an open-access infrastructure funded by a EUR 9,994,861 EU grant. Access for researchers and companies was provided free of charge through a competitive proposal process. The successor project (NFFA-Europe Pilot) may continue similar access schemes — contact the coordinator for current terms.

Can these nanofabrication capabilities work at industrial scale?

The infrastructure is designed for R&D and prototyping, not mass production. However, the project specifically developed an industry-friendly sample holder for interoperability and created an operational marketing plan towards industry. The 9 distributed sites across Europe can handle significant throughput for development-stage work.

What about IP — who owns what I develop using these facilities?

As an EU research infrastructure, users typically retain IP generated from their own research conducted at the facilities. Specific terms depend on the access agreement with each site. Based on available project data, the project included an operational marketing plan towards industry, suggesting commercial engagement was actively encouraged.

What resolution and precision can I actually achieve?

The project demonstrated concrete capabilities: soft x-ray zone plates with 10nm resolution, hard x-ray zone plates at 20nm, full-field x-ray microscopy at 50nm, sub-10nm metal structures via atomic layer deposition, coplanar electrode arrays with 10nm gaps, and 3D nanomagnet arrangements with sub-100nm resolution.

How long does it take to get access and complete a project?

Based on available project data, access was coordinated through a single proposal system covering 9 main sites in 10 countries. The project aimed to match user proposals with the best technical offer across all sites. Typical research infrastructure access cycles run 3-6 months from proposal to beam time or lab access.

Is there ongoing support or has the project ended?

NFFA-Europe ran from 2015 to 2021 and is now closed. However, the consortium of 23 partners across 10 countries represents an established network. A successor project (NFFA-Europe Pilot) has continued this work. The coordinator, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche in Italy, can direct you to current access options.

Are there regulatory or compliance considerations?

Nanotechnology work may fall under REACH regulations for chemical substances and EU guidelines on nanomaterials. The infrastructure itself is operated by established research institutions (11 research organizations, 9 universities) that maintain standard safety and compliance protocols for handling nanomaterials.

Consortium

Who built it

The NFFA-Europe consortium of 23 partners across 10 countries is heavily research-oriented: 11 research organizations and 9 universities, with only 2 industry partners and 1 SME (9% industry ratio). This signals deep technical credibility but limited commercial pull. The coordinator, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (Italy), is one of Europe's largest public research bodies. The geographic spread across Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Sweden, Slovenia, and the UK ensures broad European coverage. For a business looking to access nano-capabilities, this consortium offers world-class expertise but will likely need a commercial intermediary to translate research outputs into production-ready solutions.

CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHECoordinator · IT
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET GRAZparticipant · AT
SYNCHROTRON SOLEIL SOCIETE CIVILEthirdparty · FR
LUNDS UNIVERSITETparticipant · SE
FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM JULICH GMBHparticipant · DE
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET MUENCHENparticipant · DE
COMMISSARIAT A L ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVESparticipant · FR
FUNDACIO INSTITUT CATALA DE NANOCIENCIA I NANOTECNOLOGIAparticipant · ES
EUROPEAN SYNCHROTRON RADIATION FACILITYparticipant · FR
IDRYMA TECHNOLOGIAS KAI EREVNASparticipant · EL
ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FEDERALE DE LAUSANNEparticipant · CH
AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICASthirdparty · ES
FUNDACIO PRIVADA PARC DE RECERCA UABparticipant · ES
UNITED KINGDOM RESEARCH AND INNOVATIONparticipant · UK
KARLSRUHER INSTITUT FUER TECHNOLOGIEparticipant · DE
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI MILANOparticipant · IT
PAUL SCHERRER INSTITUTparticipant · CH
UNIVERSITAT AUTONOMA DE BARCELONAthirdparty · ES
UNIVERZA V NOVI GORICIparticipant · SI
CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRSparticipant · FR
DEUTSCHES ELEKTRONEN-SYNCHROTRON DESYparticipant · DE
UNIVERSIDAD DEL PAIS VASCO/ EUSKAL HERRIKO UNIBERTSITATEAparticipant · ES
PROMOSCIENCE SRLparticipant · IT

How to reach the team

Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Italy — reach out to the NFFA-Europe project office for access and collaboration inquiries

Order a report on this consortium See CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

SciTransfer can connect you directly with the right lab within the NFFA network for your specific nanofabrication or characterization need — saving you weeks of navigating 23 partners across 10 countries.

Order a report on this topic More in Manufacturing & Industry 4.0