NRC Institute for Microstructural Sciences (NRC-IMS)

(Ottawa, Ontario)

Leading the Information Technology Revolution

Taking advantage of the opportunities resulting from the convergence of physical and biological sciences, the mission of NRC-IMS is to provide leadership, in collaboration with industry and universities, in the development of emerging and enabling technologies related to future hardware requirements for information processing, transmission, storage and display.

NRC-IMS collaborates with Canadian industry to provide national leadership in developing this strategic base — creating the enabling technologies needed by the industry to take a leading place in the emerging IT markets in the global economy.

Tweezers holding a sample above a tray of thin film devices

NRC-IMS partners with industry to exploit the technological advances that result from research and to reduce the risk to industry by investing in those alternative technologies, which if achieved, would represent a paradigm shift and major opportunity areas for the future of the sector.

The Institute's core competencies include: optoelectronics, photonics, semiconductor growth, processes and materials, thin film technology, nanotechnology, and acoustics. Its markets include: microelectronics, communication hardware, multimedia, sensors and biotechnology.

NRC-IMS applies its expertise in novel materials and components to solve problems posed by the need for advanced hardware through both national and international initiatives.