MicroFAB Access.
Simplified access at reduced
costs to create working prototypes
MicroFAB Access supports custom microfabrication projects at open-access facilities across Canada. 80% of eligible fabrication costs will be reimbursed up to a maximum amount of $4,000
Applicant Eligibility
- FABrIC membership is required for the applicant, their research supervisor, and their institution.
- Graduate student or post-doctoral fellow at a Canadian University and registered with CMC (including all members listed on the application).
- The applicant’s faculty supervisor must hold a subscription at the time of the award. One may apply for an award prior to subscription.
- Has no outstanding fabrication or test reports with CMC.
Key Dates
Applications are reviewed monthly.
- Submission Deadline: 10th of the month by 4:00 pm ET. Exception: one week earlier in December.
- Notification of Decision: End of the month.
- Duration: 4 months from the date of notification for the MNT Award.
- Fabrication Report Deadline: Within 3 months after completing fabrication/training
- Reimbursement Claim Deadline: Within 3 months after completing fabrication. Claims submitted after the 3 months deadline may be denied.
Application and Reimbursement Process
3 weeks →
≤ 4 months →
3 months →
3 weeks →
Important Information
- Eligible costs: costs for mask fabrication, user access, and machine usage; reasonable costs for consumables associated with the project and invoiced by the lab.
- Ineligible costs: accessories (e.g. tweezers, sample holders), consumable materials (e.g. wafers, chemicals) not invoiced by the MNT lab (e.g., from third-party vendors).
- Those who hold NSERC Engage/ Alliance grants are eligible for an automatic award with a letter of support and documentation from the industry research partner.
- The reimbursement is only for microfabrication conducted by the applicant team at user-access facilities at Canadian universities (see map below).
- The reimbursement is non-transferable and must be used only by the awardee and for the project proposed in the application. Ensure you have submitted any outstanding fabrication or test reports.
- Acknowledge CMC in any related publications.
- Refer to process flow as an example for completing the MicroFAB Access application
- Reimbursements will be paid by a cheque to the subscriber. For details refer reimbursement payment details.
- Expanded coverage and scope to non-traditional branches and fields, example in nanomaterials, nanomedicine and biomaterials.
Selection Criteria
MicroFAB Access facilitates custom microfabrication. This is a competitive program and applications are peer-reviewed against FABrIC’s Effectiveness Criteria.
