ENHANCE · European Research Training Network of “New Materials: Innovative Concepts for their Fabrication, Integration and Characterization”

The multi-site European initial training network – “ENHANCE” – “New Materials: Innovative Concepts for their Fabrication, Integration and Characterization” will be established to deal with the mid and long term issues of concern to the European industry encompassing the whole spectrum of functional materials for microelectronics, nano-electronics, data storage, photovoltaic, with emphasis on emerging nano-technologies. This network consisting of 3 academic groups from chemistry 1 from physics, 3 from Material Science and Engineering and 1 industrial partners from 6 different countries of Germany, Finland, Netherlands, Italy, Denmark and Austria. Despite the exceptional importance of thin film processing of many new materials and their integration in emerging nanotechnologies, there is no systematic interdisciplinary training of students in the traditional courses of chemistry, materials science and engineering. ENHANCE aims to close this gap by combining the classical knowledge of chemistry, materials science, physics and engineering i.e. the knowledge of precursor molecules, materials properties, study of physical phenomena, to electronic devices and circuit integration. The training of ENHANCE fellows will be based on a structured 3 year academic curriculum, including, generic skills workshops and on-site research training at the state of the art laboratories, facilities under clean room conditions and a training at the industrial laboratories. This will provide the young scientists with necessary in-depth knowledge in materials synthesis and thin film processing as well as experimental skills in operating the instruments and analytical skills in different materials characterization techniques. The training concludes with European doctoral examination and will be reviewed by external experts in the field and their remarks will be addressed during the final disputation.