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Objective ICT-2007.8.1: FET proactive 1: Nano-scale ICT devices and systems
Target outcome:
To demonstrate unconventional solutions to increase computing performance, functionality or communication speed, or to reduce cost, size and power consumption of ICT components beyond the expected limits of CMOS technology.
Research should cover at least one of the following points:
• Demonstration of new concepts for switches or memory cells, to substantially improve performance, cost, integration density and/or power dissipation beyond those of ultimate CMOS technology using nanostructures or non-charge based approaches. Complementary
challenges include circuit architectures, assembly and reconfiguration.
• Demonstration of new concepts, technologies and architectures for local and chip-level interconnects with substantial improvements over current solutions. Key drivers are: transmission speed, integration density, reduction in power consumption, integration of new functions, ease of design and manufacturing.
• Demonstration of radically new functionalities by the integration of blocks from a few nanometres down to the atomic scale into high added-value systems. Candidates include NEMS and NEMS arrays; approaches based on photons, plasmons, phonons; approaches
exploiting internal degrees of freedom of atoms and molecules and based on atomic precision control and addressability.
Coordination actions (CAs) should support the consolidation of research communities, their visibility, the coordination of research agendas, the mapping and benchmarking of research at European level, and the identification of drivers to assess research in nano-scale ICT devices
and systems. They also address the coordination of national or regional research programmes or activities. The initiative also encourages international cooperation in foundational research on topics described above.
Expected Impact
Projects on switches, memories or interconnects should open, verify and assess new unconventional approaches to ICT. They should demonstrate proof of concept at laboratory level to prepare future applied RTD. Projects on new functionalities should open radically new directions in ICT devices and technologies and aim at experimental demonstrations of principle, feasibility and concrete advantages.
Funding schemes
CP, CSA (CA only)
Indicative budget distribution [note]
20 M€:
- CP 19 M€ of which a minimum of 10 M€ to IP and a minimum of 4 M€ to STREP;
- CSA 1 M€
Call
FP7-ICT-2007-1

[note] Most of the amount for Call 1 is from the 2007 budget and is under the condition that the preliminary draft budget for 2007 is adopted without modifications by the budget authority. The remaining amount for Call 1 and the amounts for Calls 2, 3, FET-Open and the joint call with the security theme are expected to be covered by the 2008 budget for which a new financing decision to cover the budget for that year will be requested at the appropriate time.