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The nanoFAB partially supports its ongoing mandate through user fees charged for access to equipment, materials, training, and on-site expertise. These fees allow for the proper maintenance, upkeep, and operation of all equipment. These fees are applied either through an hourly equipment rate structure or a cap and subscription model. Some materials are charged separately as resale items. If you have any questions regarding usage fees, please contact Melissa Hawrelechko. Equipment usage cap/subscription model: effective . |
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CMC, Alberta Voucher, and IRAP sponsored projects must be administered separately. |
Academic research cap
For high-volume internal academic research groups (paid via U of A SpeedCode), the nanoFAB offers the following cap, applying to tool use only (material costs are excluded):
- $6000/quarterly billing period, invoiced quarterly.
- Usage in excess of $12 000/quarterly billing period will be invoiced at 50% of the posted academic rates.
The following scenarios illustrate how the academic research cap applies as an academic group’s total quarterly tool usage increases:
| $5000 | In one quarter, the group’s total tool usage comes to $5000. This is below the cap threshold of $6000, so the academic cap does not apply. Total charges: $5000. |
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| $8000 | In one quarter, the group’s total tool usage comes to $8000. This is above the cap threshold of $6000, but below the cap upper limit of $12 000, so the academic cap applies and they are invoiced a total of $6000. Total charges: $6000. |
| $15 000 | In one quarter, the group’s total tool usage comes to $15 000. This is above the cap upper limit of $12 000, so the academic cap applies only to usage between $6000 and $12 000, for which they are charged $6000, with the usage exceeding the upper limit ($15 000 – $12 000 = $3000) invoiced at 50%. Total charges: $6000 + ($3000 × 50%) = $7500. |
Industrial subscription
For high-volume industrial groups committing to a term of least 6 months, the nanoFAB offers the following subscription model, applying to tool use only (material costs are excluded):
- Allowed term lengths are from 6 to 12 months.
- Subscription fees are invoiced in advance each month.
- Subscription fees are available in $500/month increments, starting at a minimum of $3000/month.
- Equipment usage is averaged over the length of the subscription term.
- At any time, the usage associated with a particular tool may be removed from the subscription model.
- At any time within a subscription term, a group may elect to increase their monthly subscription fee in $500 increments (e.g., to account for more usage than anticipated). The new rate will be applied retroactively to the entire term. When the increase is requested, an invoice will be generated to cover the difference in subscription fees that would have been collected at the revised rate to that point in the subscription term.
- Within a subscription term, no changes to the value:cost ratio are allowed.
- Overage (usage exceeding the maximum value covered by the subscription rate) within a subscription period will be invoiced at posted industrial rates.
- The maximum monthly value covered depends on the subscription rate, according to the following table and graph.
| Monthly subscription rate | Value:Cost ratio | Maximum monthly value |
|---|---|---|
| $3000 to $6500 | 2:1 | $6000 to $13 000 |
| $7000 to $10 500 | 3:1 | $21 000 to $31 500 |
| ≥$11 000 | 4:1 | ≥$44 000 |
Relevant funding opportunities
CMC MNT vouchers
Financial assistance for academic projects is available through CMC Microsystems: please see CMC's MNT Award page for more information on this program.
Alberta Inovates vouchers
Industrial user groups are encouraged to apply to Alberta Innovates' Micro-Voucher program to help offset their nanoFAB usage costs.
NRC-IRAP program
Funding for industrial user groups is also available through the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP).
Fee-for-service work
In addition to self-service access to equipment, the nanoFAB also offers custom fee-for-service fabrication and characterization services:
- Fabrication and characterization services for academic and industrial clients, provided at competitive rates.
- Quotes provided on a project-by-project basis and invoiced immediately upon completion of work.
- For fabrication services, contact Aaron Hryciw.
- For characterization services, contact Peng Li.
Individual equipment rates
The tool rates for individual nanoFAB tools are given below, divided by process area. Most tools with a rate listed in $/hr have a 1-hour minimum charge associated with their use. Some tools have different rates for usage during and outside normal business hours.
Wet processing
Database Query Compact profile-name nanoFAB LMACS-PROD profile 3485252 sql SELECT E.RPT_NAME AS 'Tool', concat('$', RA.RATE, '/', RA.UNIT) AS 'Academic rate (business hours)', concat('$', RA.AFTER_HR_RATE, '/', RA.UNIT) AS 'Academic rate (after hours)', concat('$', RI.RATE, '/', RI.UNIT) AS 'Industrial rate (business hours)', concat('$', RI.AFTER_HR_RATE, '/', RI.UNIT) AS 'Industrial rate (after hours)' FROM ( SELECT EQID, RATE, AFTER_HR_RATE, UNIT FROM RATES WHERE PTID = 1 AND TYPE = 1) AS RA INNER JOIN ( SELECT EQID, RATE, AFTER_HR_RATE, UNIT FROM RATES WHERE PTID = 3 AND TYPE = 1) AS RI ON RA.EQID = RI.EQID INNER JOIN EQUIPMENT E ON E.ID = RA.EQID WHERE E.AREA = 8 AND E.RPT = 1 AND E.STATUS < 99 ORDER BY E.RPT_NAME
Photolithography
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Electron-beam lithography
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Physical vapour deposition
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Chemical vapour deposition
Database Query Compact profile-name nanoFAB LMACS-PROD profile 3485252 sql SELECT E.RPT_NAME AS 'Tool', concat('$', RA.RATE, '/', RA.UNIT) AS 'Academic rate (business hours)', concat('$', RA.AFTER_HR_RATE, '/', RA.UNIT) AS 'Academic rate (after hours)', concat('$', RI.RATE, '/', RI.UNIT) AS 'Industrial rate (business hours)', concat('$', RI.AFTER_HR_RATE, '/', RI.UNIT) AS 'Industrial rate (after hours)' FROM ( SELECT EQID, RATE, AFTER_HR_RATE, UNIT FROM RATES WHERE PTID = 1 AND TYPE = 1) AS RA INNER JOIN ( SELECT EQID, RATE, AFTER_HR_RATE, UNIT FROM RATES WHERE PTID = 3 AND TYPE = 1) AS RI ON RA.EQID = RI.EQID INNER JOIN EQUIPMENT E ON E.ID = RA.EQID WHERE E.AREA = 6 AND E.RPT = 1 AND E.STATUS < 99 ORDER BY E.RPT_NAME
Dry etching
Database Query Compact profile-name nanoFAB LMACS-PROD profile 3485252 sql SELECT E.RPT_NAME AS 'Tool', concat('$', RA.RATE, '/', RA.UNIT) AS 'Academic rate (business hours)', concat('$', RA.AFTER_HR_RATE, '/', RA.UNIT) AS 'Academic rate (after hours)', concat('$', RI.RATE, '/', RI.UNIT) AS 'Industrial rate (business hours)', concat('$', RI.AFTER_HR_RATE, '/', RI.UNIT) AS 'Industrial rate (after hours)' FROM ( SELECT EQID, RATE, AFTER_HR_RATE, UNIT FROM RATES WHERE PTID = 1 AND TYPE = 1) AS RA INNER JOIN ( SELECT EQID, RATE, AFTER_HR_RATE, UNIT FROM RATES WHERE PTID = 3 AND TYPE = 1) AS RI ON RA.EQID = RI.EQID INNER JOIN EQUIPMENT E ON E.ID = RA.EQID WHERE E.AREA = 4 AND E.RPT = 1 AND E.STATUS < 99 ORDER BY E.RPT_NAME
Oxidation and annealing
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Dicing and packaging
Database Query Compact profile-name nanoFAB LMACS-PROD profile 3485252 sql SELECT E.RPT_NAME AS 'Tool', concat('$', RA.RATE, '/', RA.UNIT) AS 'Academic rate (business hours)', concat('$', RA.AFTER_HR_RATE, '/', RA.UNIT) AS 'Academic rate (after hours)', concat('$', RI.RATE, '/', RI.UNIT) AS 'Industrial rate (business hours)', concat('$', RI.AFTER_HR_RATE, '/', RI.UNIT) AS 'Industrial rate (after hours)' FROM ( SELECT EQID, RATE, AFTER_HR_RATE, UNIT FROM RATES WHERE PTID = 1 AND TYPE = 1) AS RA INNER JOIN ( SELECT EQID, RATE, AFTER_HR_RATE, UNIT FROM RATES WHERE PTID = 3 AND TYPE = 1) AS RI ON RA.EQID = RI.EQID INNER JOIN EQUIPMENT E ON E.ID = RA.EQID WHERE E.AREA = 13 AND E.RPT = 1 AND E.STATUS < 99 ORDER BY E.RPT_NAME
Other fabrication
Database Query Compact profile-name nanoFAB LMACS-PROD profile 3485252 sql SELECT E.RPT_NAME AS 'Tool', concat('$', RA.RATE, '/', RA.UNIT) AS 'Academic rate (business hours)', concat('$', RA.AFTER_HR_RATE, '/', RA.UNIT) AS 'Academic rate (after hours)', concat('$', RI.RATE, '/', RI.UNIT) AS 'Industrial rate (business hours)', concat('$', RI.AFTER_HR_RATE, '/', RI.UNIT) AS 'Industrial rate (after hours)' FROM ( SELECT EQID, RATE, AFTER_HR_RATE, UNIT FROM RATES WHERE PTID = 1 AND TYPE = 1) AS RA INNER JOIN ( SELECT EQID, RATE, AFTER_HR_RATE, UNIT FROM RATES WHERE PTID = 3 AND TYPE = 1) AS RI ON RA.EQID = RI.EQID INNER JOIN EQUIPMENT E ON E.ID = RA.EQID WHERE E.AREA = 9 AND E.RPT = 1 AND E.STATUS < 99 ORDER BY E.RPT_NAME
Microscopy
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Spectroscopy
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Other characterization
Database Query Compact profile-name nanoFAB LMACS-PROD profile 3485252 sql SELECT E.RPT_NAME AS 'Tool', concat('$', RA.RATE, '/', RA.UNIT) AS 'Academic rate (business hours)', concat('$', RA.AFTER_HR_RATE, '/', RA.UNIT) AS 'Academic rate (after hours)', concat('$', RI.RATE, '/', RI.UNIT) AS 'Industrial rate (business hours)', concat('$', RI.AFTER_HR_RATE, '/', RI.UNIT) AS 'Industrial rate (after hours)' FROM ( SELECT EQID, RATE, AFTER_HR_RATE, UNIT FROM RATES WHERE PTID = 1 AND TYPE = 1) AS RA INNER JOIN ( SELECT EQID, RATE, AFTER_HR_RATE, UNIT FROM RATES WHERE PTID = 3 AND TYPE = 1) AS RI ON RA.EQID = RI.EQID INNER JOIN EQUIPMENT E ON E.ID = RA.EQID WHERE E.AREA = 10 AND E.RPT = 1 AND E.STATUS < 99 ORDER BY E.RPT_NAME
Software (shared computation area)
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