Evaluation of cluster support for nanotechnology: III-V MOSFET Nanoelectronics - Report to Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian

The Scottish Enterprise (SE) Microelectronics and Optoelectronics Cluster Team (MOCT) funded two projects at the University of Glasgow related to III-V MOSFET technology: the Circuit Design project and the Scanning Capacitance Microscopy (SCM) project. Each is associated with the development of enabling technology relevant to the wider III-V MOSFET research programme at the university. SQW was commissioned to undertake an interim evaluation of the funding initiative, the purpose of which was primarily to investigate the extent that the outcomes agreed for the initiative either had been realised or appropriate progress was being made towards their likely achievement.

Desk research reviewed the original SE approval paper, minutes of quarterly project management meetings, development plans for both projects and promotional information on both technologies. Primary research involved face-to-face consultations with academic staff, and telephone interviews with the commercial project manager within the university and the relevant member of staff from SE Edinburgh and Lothian. SQW also received a full briefing on the projects and on the evaluation requirements from staff at SE’s MOCT at an inception meeting.

Overall, the outcomes have been achieved or are reasonably expected to be achieved. The university is establishing and maintaining links with important international companies that can only make it more likely that commercialisation outcomes will be achieved. Additional funding has been won by the university since the SE funding, which is testament both to the success of SE’s funding and to the excellence and reputation of the university’s MOSFET technology research.

Sustaining momentum after the end of SE funding is important, and SE needs to determine the kind of role it will play in this ongoing process. For the Circuit Design project, SE should explore with the ITI Tech Media whether it can assist the university in tracking market signals in terms of the likely international take-up of relevant technology. A deeper investigation, perhaps in conjunction with the Scottish Funding Council, is required into the true extent of the problem of sustaining key, strategically important research teams and if appropriate a more direct intervention considered.