NFFA-DI offers to scientists from both academia and industry the possibility to carry out comprehensive projects for multidisciplinary research at the nanoscale, with a FAIR-by-design approach. Access is granted to user groups, i.e. teams of one or more researchers, led by a user group leader, that are affiliated to recognized academic or industrial organizations.
NFFA-DI offers free access, within the declared time limits, to the facilities described in the catalogue as needed to perform the research of the seccessfully evaluated user proposals. NFFA-DI, under PNRR, does not support the users cost of research, including samples, special consumables, travel and subsistance connected with the access.
Activities are performed in 5 different types of Installations, each of which includes laboratories located in different NFFA-DI sites:
Installation 1 - Lithography and Nano-patterning
Installation 2 - Growth and Synthesis
Installation 3 - Advanced Characterization and fine analysis
Installation 4 - Theory and Simulation of nanostructures
Installation 5 – Upscale to intermediate TRL
Although not mandatory, NFFA-DI proposals are strongly recommended to include access to more than one type of technique and Installation (e.g. Lithography and Growth, Upscale to intermediate TRL and Theory, etc.).
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Within the duration of the NFFA-DI PNRR project, two test calls for access are planned. In the context of the first call for access, scientific proposals can be submitted from 16/09/2024 to 31/10/2024. This website provides the complete catalogue of tools and methods available and is the portal to submit a proposal. |
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After submission, the technical feasibility of each research step will be assessed by the Technical Liaison Network (TLNet). If proposals are submitted well before the collection deadline, possible technical issues could be promptly identified, and solutions worked out and proposed to the users. |
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Feasible proposals will be then evaluated and ranked according to their scientific merit by an Access Review Panel (ARP). |
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The best-ranked proposals will be assigned to the most appropriate NFFA-DI site/sites, according to the specific capability of each laboratory. Although users are welcome to express a justified preference, which will be possibly taken into account, the responsibility of the final site choice is entirely on the NFFA-DI side. |
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The user group leader will be notified by the TLNet of the results of the technical and scientific evaluation and of the assignment to one or more specific NFFA-DI access sites. All users will be asked to accept and undersign the NFFA-DI User Declaration Agreement. NFFA-DI will not schedule any research activity before signed forms from all participants are received by the TLNet |
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The best-ranked proposals will be assigned to the most appropriate NFFA-DI site/sites, according to the specific capability of each laboratory. Although users are welcome to express a justified preference, which will be possibly taken into account, the responsibility of the final site choice is entirely on the NFFA-DI side. |
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The user group leader will be contacted by the specific access site/s to agree on a scheduling and to be instructed on specific procedures for access. The access period should be consistent with the duration of the NFFA-DI PNRR project. |
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We remind you that NFFA-DI aims at becoming the first FAIR-by-Design RI for nanoscience and nanotechnology. Scientific publications and research data resulting from access activities must comply with the evolving Open Science requirements established by the NFFA-DI Infrastructure and compliant with the PNRR regulation. |
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The Technical Liaison Network (TLNet) is the backbone of NFFA-DI, providing a wealth of skills and technical information across the NFFA-DI multidisciplinary and multi-site research infrastructure. The TLNet supports the full life cycle of user proposals, from first explorative contact by the user to the generation of results. The TLNet will give feedback to requests and questions by users and liaise with contact scientists and specific instruments. The TLNet tasks are the assessment of the technical feasibility of the proposals and the assignment to the best suited NFFA-DI sites according to technical requirements and availability and overall optimization. A mechanism similar to the peer review system of an editorial board is used to rapidly obtain technical responses from the NFFA installations and the best solution for the user is setup. |
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Proposals can include any number of experimental steps, for a maximum allocated time of 20 UoA/proposal (1 UoA corresponds to a full working day). The combination of at least two techniques is not mandatory but strongly recommended and is an element of evaluation for the proposal ranking. |
b |
A preference for access to a specific NFFA-DI site can be indicated by the users, but this information is not binding for the NFFA-DI scheduling. Whenever suitable for the performance of the proposal, NFFA-DI will grant access to a single site that includes all the experimental techniques needed. The call is open also to researchers working at NFFA-DI nodes BUT access must be carried out in an operational unit other than the one to which the researcher belongs. |
c |
Research steps are not necessarily consecutive. If you need time to perform further work at your home institution before continuing your research at NFFA-DI, please justify your choice and add your timeline in the description of work. If your justification is accepted and your proposal is granted access, the scheduling will take into account your needs. |
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Access may be performed both in-presence and remotely. Remote access could be offered as mail-in or with a higher degree of involvement of the user. In case your experiment requires shipment of samples and materials (mail-in, mail-out), after the acceptance of your proposal please inform the local TLNet contact of all the shipment details. |
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Proposals are prepared and submitted through the NFFA-DI portal, where you can find an up-to-date catalogue of all tools and methods offered by the five NFFA-DI Installations, as well as their main technical specifications. |
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From the catalogue, compose your wish list, made of all the steps required by your research. |
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Login or sign up if you are a new user to access your online application form. |
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Before starting to fill in the application form, please read the Terms & Conditions, download the proposal application guide and carefully follow the instructions outlined. |
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NFFA-DI proposals are first checked for technical feasibility by the TLNet. Proposals assessed as “feasible” will be then sent for evaluation of scientific merit by an independent, external Access Review Panel (ARP). The main criteria followed by the ARP in the evaluation process are:
Rejected proposals will always be accompanied by a written report explaining the reasons for rejection. Where appropriate, the report will also include recommendations and suggestions for improvement and possible resubmission of a new proposal. |