Access to European Infrastructure for Nanoelectronics (ASCENTPlus)

Advancing and broadening the first ASCENT programme, ASCENT+ will integrate additional key European infrastructures to
address emerging research challenges in Nanoelectronics and enable a smooth consistent transition of the European
industry to a new era. At present academic researchers and technologists struggle to develop industry-relevant disruptive
technologies as there is limited access to state-of-the-art processing, modelling/data sets, metrology/characterisation, and
devices/test structures for Nanoelectronics. Through the Single Entry Point and a user-focussed Access Interface, ASCENT
+ integrates a unique research infrastructure of more than €2.5bn investment to offer these enabling capabilities to its users.
ASCENT+ includes academic partners to advance the offering over the lifetime of this second Advanced Community phase,
and also an extended network of over 3,700 members through partner research and industry cluster organisations. This will
allow ASCENT+ to mobilise a critical mass of people, knowledge and investment to entrench an unprecedented integration
within the community. This will service a much wider user base and foster innovation by linking new scientific knowledge in
Nanoelectronics with challenge-driven research. European and global foresight studies have indicated that the next era is
driven by the need to achieve: (i) quantum advantage using solid-state platforms; (ii) low-power, energy-efficient, highperformance
computing based on disruptive devices; and (iii) increased functionality through advanced integration of a
diverse range of materials and innovative technologies. ASCENT+ will enable and stimulate its user community to bridge the
gap between scientific exploration and development of proof-of-concept technologies to accelerate innovation pathfinding.
ASCENT+ presents a unique opportunity for Europe to regain global leadership in Nanoelelectronics at a pivotal time where
traditional scaling is coming to an end.