Our Team
Coordinator
Thales Research and Technology
Thales is one of the major world players in civilian & professional electronics with Over 77,000 employees with Global presence in 68 Countries, and 17.6 B€ Sales in 2022, Thales Research and Technology France (THALES ) located in Palaiseau, near Paris, is the main multidisciplinary research unit of the Thales Group. THALES is participating in the preparation of Thales industrial future in strategic R&D fields, with 1 Nobel Prize, 3 European Research Council projects and also 80 French or European on-going collaborative research projects, With 240 permanent staff and on-going 40 PhD students, And 4,000 m² of cleanrooms and 200 characterization & process main equipment. THALES is dedicated to mastering increasingly sophisticated technologies, particularly those related to detection, analysis, or decision-making, in order to design and develop critical information systems. These innovative solutions serve clients in various domains such as secure military communications, space systems, air traffic management, embedded electronics, large computer networks and administrations.
Partners
DiamFab
DiamFab is a start-up specialized in the manufacturing of diamond for semiconductor and quantum applications. Created in 2019, the company is composed today by 13 people to unleash the power of diamond. The R&D of DiamFab is focused on diamond growth in large substrates, improve the quality of the diamond and control the doping level of the layers. The company has also a deep knowledge of diamond processing to manufacture power electronic devices, including photolithography, etching and contact deposition.
Instituto de Telecomunicações
Instituto de Telecomunicações (IT) is a private, non-profit association composed of nine members from both academia and industry: Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), University of Aveiro (UA), University of Coimbra (UC), University of Porto (UP), University of Beira Interior (UBI), ISCTE – Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria (IPL), Altice Labs, and Nokia Networks. Founded in 1992, IT’s main mission is to create and disseminate scientific knowledge in telecommunications at a global state-of-the-art level, while promoting advanced training in its areas of expertise and fostering technology transfer to society, particularly by supporting industry.
Universidade do Aveiro
Founded in 1973, the University of Aveiro (UA) is one of Portugal’s most dynamic and innovative universities. Now a public foundation under private law, it remains committed to education, research, and cooperation with society. With over 16,000 students, UA ranks among Portugal’s top institutions for infrastructure, staff excellence, and research, and is listed among the world’s best universities under 50 years old by Times Higher Education. Comprising 16 academic departments and 4 polytechnic schools, UA fosters interdisciplinary collaboration and partners with national and international organizations through 20 research units, all rated Very Good or Excellent by the National Foundation for Science and Technology. In 2023, 517 research and technology-transfer projects were active, including 61 funded by ERASMUS+ and 39 by H2020. UA also hosts 12 ERCs, 1 ERA Chair, and coordinates 4 Twinning and 2 HE projects, reflecting its strong capacity for research and project management.
Founded in 1974 and renamed in 2006 to include Computer Sciences, the Department of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics (DETI) at the University of Aveiro has 72 PhD faculty and 11 staff in a 5,000 m² facility dedicated to teaching and R&D. DETI offers undergraduate and master’s programs in areas such as Electronics, Telecommunications, Informatics, Cybersecurity, Aerospace, Robotics, Digital Games, and Data Science, along with PhDs in Electrical and Computer Engineering and joint doctorates in Telecommunications and Computer Science. Research is carried out through IEETA and the Aveiro Pole of the Institute of Telecommunications.
The Department of Materials and Ceramic Engineering (DEMaC) focuses on synthesizing and studying nano- and microstructured materials for technologies such as recycling, biomaterials, ceramics, composites, corrosion protection, and functional coatings. A key priority is developing advanced materials for more efficient and sustainable energy systems. DEMaC is affiliated with CICECO, Portugal’s leading institute for Materials Science, which provides state-of-the-art facilities (SEM, TEM, AFM, XRD, NMR, RAMAN, etc.) and specialized labs. Researchers also benefit from CDTM, which connects academia with industry, supports funding applications, manages projects, and assists with startups, contracts, and patents.
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is the largest independent employer in Bristol with a total income of £900m in 2022. The University of Bristol is ranked #51 in the world in the QS World University Rankings 2026.
The Center for Device Thermography and Reliability (CDTR), led by Prof. Martin Kuball, is a world-leading research center focusing on developing next generation semiconductor electronic devices for net zero, and for communications and radar technology. With a team of 35 researchers, we focus on enhancing device thermal management, electrical performance and reliability, using wide and ultra-wide bandgap semiconductors. We also lead the UK national centre on power electronics, REWIRE.
III-V Lab
III-V Lab is a joint industrial research laboratory of NOKIA, THALES and CEA-LETI formed into an Economic Interest Group (GIE).
It conducts research in the field of microelectronic & optoelectronic components and III-V semiconductor technologies covering the activities of component modeling & design, substrate epitaxy, component manufacturing, encapsulation and test & characterization.
The III-V Lab teams, made up of around 120 researchers and 20 doctoral students, are located in two French centers of scientific and technological excellence:
• Paris-Saclay campus: 2000 m2 of clean rooms with a manufacturing capacity of 2 to 4 inch wafers in III-V technologies (InP, GaN, GaAs, InSb, etc.)
• CEA-LETI site in Grenoble: 200-300 mm lines for III-V integration on Silicon
III-V Lab’s activities meet the needs of many markets such as Defense, Space, Telecommunications, Mobility, Medical, Industrial Sensors or Instrumentation through the development of world-leading components and technologies in close connection with the academic world and its industrial partners in France and Europe. With his “Lab to Fab” business model, III-V Lab contributes to the competitiveness and sovereignty of the semiconductor industry in France and Europe through its capability to produce in small volume as a pilot line.
