near Barcelona, a temple of technology, workers handle objects of extreme purity under careful control. Inside, the air is exceptionally clean. Staff wear specialized clothing. Temperature, humidity, and pressure stay constant to protect the delicate materials—hypersensitive microchips and nanodevices intended for space missions or neural interfaces within brains and cells.
It is the Micro and Nanofabrication White Room of CSICs Barcelona Institute for Microelectronics IMB-CNM, described by its director, Luis Fonseca, as extraordinary infrastructure. Its footprint spans 1,500 square meters, offering versatility across silicon technologies, silicon carbide, and more, with top-tier equipment and nearly 200 teams contributing to its work.
Situated on the campus of the Autonomous University of Barcelona in Cerdanyola del Vallès, the facility designs and manufactures electronic devices and systems capable of managing information and enabling physical‑digital interaction with the surrounding environment. The goal is to develop and apply innovative micro and nanotechnologies within microelectronics in collaboration with emerging fields.
One of the established trajectories in the sector—ranging from traditional semiconductors and silicon micromachining to new directions such as photonic circuits, quantum devices, silicon nanowires, and single-atomic-layer materials—is highlighted by Fonseca.
Recent years have seen notable milestones, including nanochips for studying living cells and components adapted for space missions under harsh conditions, such as the missions headed to Mercury and the Sun. Components built for orbiting satellites and for the global Web of satellites have also been developed, guiding exploration beyond Earth.
Devices for recognizing the brain
IMB-CNM possesses the capability to design and manufacture custom hardware capable of acquiring and processing large data volumes. New radiation detectors have been developed for accelerators in major experiments, enabling a wide array of particle detector channels for advanced research.
In the Clean Room, devices are used to explore brain function. Through multiplexing techniques, neural interfaces built with graphene transistors can increase recording channels without adding connections. Integrated circuits designed at IMB-CNM enable the processing of vast amounts of brain activity data.
Chips developed at IMB-CNM are showcased by researchers in ongoing collaborations and innovation projects.
Fonseca emphasizes that these technologies are solidifying, yet they still face challenges such as designing European processors with the RISC-V architecture and reducing Europe’s technological dependency through new initiatives.
Photonics is highlighted as a major, promising field over the last decade. It focuses on the production, manipulation, and detection of photons, which can serve as information carriers in a range of applications.
This technology appears in many information processing areas including fiber optic communications, laser printing, sensors, displays, smart lighting, and photovoltaic systems.
As one researcher noted, photonics is poised to continue driving the digital world in the 21st century much as microelectronics did in the 20th century.
State-of-the-art infrastructure
Photonic integrated circuits are expected to propel advances in quantum computing, quantum communication, and quantum sensing. A parallel focus is on electronic devices that operate with minimal energy use, achieved through advanced nanofabrication methods.
Chips and devices produced within the White Room contribute to a pilot line for quantum devices, aligning with CMOS standards in the clean room. This work aims to realize the first semiconductor qubit in Spain, representing the quantum analog of a classical bit and offering exponential gains in computing power.
The overarching objective is for quantum devices to serve both research and practical applications to enhance device performance and enable new concepts and uses.
In addition, efforts are underway in micro and nano-machining using advanced materials and superconducting functionalities. Quantum applications include scalable processors and ultra-precise sensors.
Researchers emphasize exploring nanostructured magnetic materials as a safe, energy-efficient alternative for information management beyond traditional electronics. Overall, IMB’s Clean Room provides a cutting-edge platform to foster disruptive technologies such as photonics and quantum computing, which are expected to play a crucial role in the digital society of the future.
The White Room at IMB-CNM is part of a broader ecosystem dedicated to advancing micro and nanofabrication capabilities and fostering breakthroughs that can translate into real-world technologies.
Note: The White Room project is supported by ongoing research programs and collaborations within the Barcelona Institute for Microelectronics and partner institutions.