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In the IRT Nanoelec Characterisation Programme, which brings Grenoble-based research infrastructures together with the local electronics industry, spatial correlation is gaining momentum, along with the development of new approaches and services. Starting at the wafer level (in a cleanroom) and descending to the nanoscale, an industrial inspection plan has been defined on an innovative substrate (SiC), and a multiscale, multi-technique, space- correlated analysis protocol has been established and demonstrated, aiming to provide a multiscale correlative analysis of singularities in semiconductor materials. Led by CEA LETI, this plan navigated the wafer between the laboratory instruments of the CEA s Nanocharacterisation Platform and ESRF beamlines (mainly ID01 and BM05 to date). Also in the context of electronics, the development of a correlative XRD/Raman microscopy station has been pursued on ID01 in collaboration with the European- funded project NanoMECommons and the local Grenoble start-up Nelumbo Digital. Similarly, on BM05, the feasibility of an instrument capable of performing correlative analyses between X-ray beam-induced current (XBIC) and topography has been demonstrated and is aiming towards commercial service provision.

Our work with high-tech small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) continues, enabled by critical support from the European Commission in the TamaTA programme of the LEAPS-INNOV Horizon2020 project. Companies such as AMA DEMA (Cyprus), Force Technology (Denmark), Renaissance Fusion (France) and many others have benefitted from this subsidised access to de-risk their first foray into using the ESRF s advanced techniques. It is especially pleasing to see those skills being used beyond the X-ray beams, such as the case of Renaissance Fusion, local to us in Grenoble, which called upon the ESRF s skills in vacuum engineering. A new brochure covering the work of CALIPSOplus and LEAPS-INNOV in supporting SME access to European facilities is available at: https:// zenodo.org/records/10137788

In the push to work more closely with Europe s most advanced, deep-tech SMEs, in 2023, the ESRF became a partner to the European Innovation Council. Thanks to this, EIC beneficiaries can directly benefit from the ESRF s specialised services, including a no-charge consultancy to match SME challenges with the capabilities of synchrotron X-rays (or other research infrastructures in our network if the ESRF business team spots an opening). With this partnership, we hope to support a range of SMEs in their product innovation and development.

Looking further ahead, the first students from the InnovaXN COFUND programme each with an industrial partner for their research project are now completing their work with us and heading out into the wider world, where we fully expect that they will use their InnovaXN experience to build very successful careers in the smart, innovative space between academia, industry and research.

Getting in touch with industry

With new services and opportunities opened through the ESRF-EBS, the ESRF has launched a flagship initiative: STREAMLINE Tour the ESRF meets industry . Supported by STREAMLINE funding, the ESRF industry team are participating in a selection of events to meet industry and better understand how to meet their challenges with the ESRF s specialised synchrotron X-ray services and skills. During the tour, which started in September 2023, the ESRF will be present, alone or with a selected partner, and will engage to meet industrial partners in all sectors that could most benefit from the unique capabilities offered by the new, high-throughput, fast-track services: battery and energy, metallurgy and engineering, mining, nanotech and advanced materials, pharma, electronics, food-science, consumer products and environment preservation. Altogether, there are around 25 events continuing into 2024 we look forward to meeting you at one of the events!

E. MITCHELL