Scope:

a. Research and Innovation actions

The work must be in the scope of one of the following topics:

• the development of new approaches to scale functional performance of information processing and storage substantially beyond the state-of-the-art technologies with a focus on ultra-low power and high performance. Work may address materials, processes, device and component architectures, system micro-architectures (processor and memory), security, design, modelling, simulation and nano-characterization, and must consider integration, systemability and manufacturability. Technologies exploiting the quantum effects in solid-state devices are also relevant. Advanced explorative technology development at TRL 2-3 is called for.
• 3D sequential integration (at transistor scale) possibly mixed with 3D parallel integration (at circuit level) for system solutions to increase functionalities and capabilities. Work could address interconnects (intra-layer and vertical structures), design challenges (3D design kits and tools, power models and optimization), prototyping and test methods. Proposals at TRL 2-3 are called for.

In line with the strategy for EU international cooperation in H2020, cooperation is encouraged with countries that have substantial research in the area (e.g. Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the USA).

In the particular case of Japan and Korea, the call is open to project twinning. Proposals for twinning with entities participating in projects funded by Research and Innovation programmes in Japan and Korea shall foresee budget provisions to exchange knowledge and experience and exploit synergies. Project twinning will be implemented on a bilateral basis by clustering of projects on nanoelectronics topics of mutual interest.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of between EUR 2 and 4 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

b. Innovation action

In Equipment Assessment Experiments, suppliers of innovative high-tech equipment install, assess and validate their prototypes or products that have left the R&D phase in environments that are very close to real-life conditions in cooperation with end-user. Proposals at TRL 6-7 are called for.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU between EUR 1 and 2 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

c. Coordination and Support actions

In view of promoting the attractiveness of careers in micro/nanoelectronics towards young people, a dedicated pan-European challenge event should be proposed to showcase the possibilities offered by state-of-the-art hardware technologies (similar to the European code week for software apps). The sustainability of this event should also be addressed.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of about EUR 0.5 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

Expected Impact:

Proposals should address the following impact criteria and provide metrics to measure and monitor success

a. Research and Innovation actions

The actions will aim at contributing to the future growth in Europe of the micro-/nanoelectronics and related industries.

• The proposals must describe how the proposed developments of new/enabling technologies will contribute to the target of doubling the economic value of semiconductor component production in Europe within the next 10 years as set by the Electronics Leaders Group in their strategic roadmap and implementation plan.
• The proposals must outline a realistic roadmap for further progressing on the TRL range beyond the project timeframe and a concrete business perspective describing expected markets for the industrial partners and impact for European industry and society at large.

b. Innovation actions

• Proposals should clearly demonstrate the route from assessment to first use of the equipment. The user requirements of the equipment to be assessed should represent significant improvements to existing equipment in terms of capability, precision, efficiency or other characteristics opening new avenues of deployment.

c. Coordination and Support actions

• The actions will raise the awareness of young people for the potential offered by a technological career thereby attracting more students to the field.
• The proposed event should have ambitious targets in the number of participations (reach-out to thousands of students) and the scope of the activities (designs and prototypes) to be showcased.

Please read carefully all provisions below before the preparation of your application.

1. List of countries and applicable rules for funding: described in part A of the General Annexes of the General Work Programme.
   Note also that a number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon 2020 projects (follow the links to China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Taiwan).
    
2. Eligibility and admissibility conditions: described in part B and C of the General Annexes of the General Work Programme
   
   
   Proposal page limits and layout: Please refer to Part B of the standard proposal template.
    
3. Evaluation
   
   3.1  Evaluation criteria and procedure, scoring and threshold: described in part H of the General Annexes of the General Work Programme
   
   3.2 Submission and evaluation process: Guide to the submission and evaluation process
    
4. Indicative timetable for evaluation and grant agreement:
   
   Information on the outcome of single-stage evaluation: maximum 5 months from the deadline for submission.
   Signature of grant agreements: maximum 8 months from the deadline for submission.
    
5. Provisions, proposal templates and evaluation forms for the type(s) of action(s) under this topic:
   
   Research and Innovation Action:
   
   Specific provisions and funding rates
   Standard proposal template
   Standard evaluation form
   H2020 General MGA -Multi-Beneficiary
   Annotated Grant Agreement
   
   Innovation Action:
   
   Specific provisions and funding rates
   Standard proposal template
   Standard evaluation form
   H2020 General MGA -Multi-Beneficiary
   Annotated Grant Agreement
   
   Coordination and Support Action:
   
   Specific provisions and funding rates
   Standard proposal template
   Standard evaluation form
   H2020 General MGA -Multi-Beneficiary
   Annotated Grant Agreement
    
6. Additional provisions:
   
   Horizon 2020 budget flexibility
   
   Classified information
   
   Technology readiness levels (TRL) – where a topic description refers to TRL, these definitions apply.
7. Open access must be granted to all scientific publications resulting from Horizon 2020 actions, and proposals must refer to measures envisaged. Where relevant, proposals should also provide information on how the participants will manage the research data generated and/or collected during the project, such as details on what types of data the project will generate, whether and how this data will be exploited or made accessible for verification and re-use, and how it will be curated and preserved.
   
   This topic participates per default in the open access to research data pilot which aims to improve and maximise access to and re-use of research data generated by projects:
   
   • The pilot applies to the data needed to validate the results presented in scientific publications. Additionally, projects can choose to make other data available for open access and need to describe their approach in a Data Management Plan (to be provided within six months after the project start).
   
   • Note that the evaluation phase proposals will not be evaluated more favourably because they are part of the Pilot, and will not be penalised for opting out of the Pilot.
   
   • Projects can at any stage opt-out of the pilot.
   
   The legal requirements for projects participating in this pilot are in the article 29.3 of the Model Grant Agreement.
   Further information on the Open Research Data Pilot is made available in the H2020 Online Manual.
8. Additional documents:
   H2020 Work Programme 2016-17: Introduction
   H2020 Work Programme 2016-17: Introduction to Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies (LEITs)
   H2020 Work Programme 2016-17: Information and communication technologies (ICT)
   H2020 Work Programme 2016-17: Dissemination, Exploitation and Evaluation
   H2020 Work Programme 2016-17: General Annexes
   Legal basis: Horizon 2020 - Regulation of Establishment
   Legal basis: Horizon 2020 Rules for Participation
   Legal basis: Horizon 2020 Specific Programme