IEF (Institute of Fundamental Electronics) is a joint research unit between CNRS and University Paris XI. Located at the scientific center of Orsay, it is affiliated with the scientific departments « ST2I » and « MPPU » (Mathematics, Physics, Planet, Universe) of CNRS. The staff is composed of about 33 researchers, 52 professors and assistant-professors, 52 engineers, technicians and administratives, 70 PhD students, 20 non-permanent researchers including post-doctorate researchers, invited researchers, contractual staff, etc. IEF receives about 80 training students per year.
The research carried out at IEF focuses on silicon-based nano-electronics (i), nanomagnetism and spin electronics (ii), micro-nanophotonics and optoelectronics either based on silicon or III-V semiconductors (iii), microsystems including their fabrication and characterization (iv), and autonomous systems and network systems.
These research activities are carried out within the framework of eight research groups with the support of technical and administrative teams. The topics (i) to (iv) in the previous list represent also the “technological specialties” of the university technological center driven by IEF (UTC IEF-MINERVE*). Research in technology is carried out in parallel with fundamental research.
Since 2000, IEF is the pilot lab of the regional research plan MINERVE in Ile-de-France. This plan has provided the first support of the UTC IEF-MINERVE, which was inaugurated in November 2004. Tight relations exist with the other technological centers of the BTR** network in France.
IEF is partner or coordinator in many regional projects (DIGITEO, SYSTEM@TIC, etc.) national projects (ANR, BTR, etc.) and many international projects (european contracts: NoE, IP, STREP, EURYI, etc.). The growing partnership of IEF in recent years has followed the simultaneous rise of nanotechnologies and information sciences at the international scale.

* Microsystems, Imaging, Nanosciences, Education, Research, added Value, Engineering
** National Network of Large Technological Facilities for Basic Technological Research