Publications of the Academy of Finland 10/02

The scientific quality and the impact of the Academy of Finland’s Research Programme for Electronic Materials and Microsystems (1999-2002) have been evaluated by international experts. The programme was carried out in 11 projects by more than 50 researchers. The scientific focus of the programme was directed towards stimulating research and development on materials and technologies, with an emphasis on microsystems.

The overall scientific quality of the basic and applied research within the programme was excellent, with several groups achieving international status with their results. Researcher training was outstanding both in quality and quantity. However, the number of created intellectual property should be bigger, and the reliability and durability issues were not explicitly addressed. These are important aspects to be assessed when new technologies are taken into use. According to the evaluation panel, ongoing research and development efforts within the Finnish electronics and electrical industry need to be supported by basic research.