The Center of Nanofabrication (CNF) at Tsinghua University is an open, university-level process platform for multi-objective research and teaching. It serves all research and teaching units at Tsinghua, and is also open to the public users. Aiming to support Tsinghua's goal of becoming a world-class university, the CNF focuses on the frontline of micro/nano fabrication process. It is committed to creating fundamental, forward-looking, and unique original achievements, influential in both China and abroad, so as to become an open research, education, and practice center that can achieve significant breakthrough results.

While supporting national major projects and research needs with first-class, original achievements, the CNF also strives to nurture leading professionals specializing in micro and nanotechnology to serve China’s talents development strategy.

With the support of government, Tsinghua university and the industry, the CNF has achieved rapid growth. The CNF has a clean room with area of about 1,200m² and more than 30 engineers, offering 24Hours*7days services to users on and off campus. Rapid development has led to an increase in the number of users every year. There are over 740 active users working in the CNF, with about 31% coming from research institutions and companies outside Tsinghua university.

With more than 200 sets of equipment, the CNF is capable of processing, testing, and packaging based on 4-inch wafer, over 20 sets equipment can use 8-inch wafers. The CNF has a variety of high-performance equipment, such as electron-beam lithography system capable of processing line of 10 nm; a multi-chamber thin film deposition; a deep silicon etching system with a high aspect ratio; a He/Ne/Ga FIB capable of performing microfabrication; and a 4D microscope capable of recording dynamic 3D morphology. The CNF also has a complete package of mainstream EDA software. Covering the entire process of circuit and device design, it provides a full set of design tools, from system to layout-level. With strong support of hardware and software, the CNF has developed many process modules for users, such as 3D grayscale lithography and etching, 2D materials growth and processing, microfluidic technology, and wafer-level packaging. In recent years, the CNF has exerted great influence in both academic and industrial fields by contributing to remarkable research outcomes, including compute-in-memory chips based on RRAM and memristor arrays, artificial antiferromagnetic materials and devices, optical and electronic devices based on 2D materials, and diffractive optical devices.

In terms of student education, the CNF provide undergraduates with Student Research Training (SRT) projects and summer practice opportunities. The CNF offers many experimental courses related to micro and nanofabrication and testing, encourage students to operate advanced instruments and equipment by themselves.

The CNF has been playing an active role in supporting major national projects, such as the construction of important R&D platforms, including the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Platform for Intelligent Chips and Hardware, the Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Integrated Circuits, and the Tsinghua National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Integrated Circuits.