Marvell Nanofabrication Laboratory

What Marvell Nanofabrication Laboratory does

The Marvell Nanofabrication Laboratory (NanoLab) is a university shared cleanroom research facility operated by UC Berkeley's College of Engineering under the UC Regents, located at 520 Sutardja Dai Hall in Berkeley, California. Originating as the Microlab in Cory Hall in 1984-1985, the facility provides over 15,000 square feet of Class 100 and 1000 cleanroom space equipped with 100+ tools spanning wet chemical processing, photolithography (contact aligners, ASML DUV stepper, Heidelberg MLA150 maskless aligner, e-beam lithography), thermal processing, thin film deposition (sputtering, evaporation, ALD, PECVD), etching (ICP, RIE, DRIE, vapor etch), metrology (SEM, AFM, profilometers, ellipsometers), bonding and packaging, and CMP planarization. A 200mm/8-inch wafer processing upgrade program is underway, anchored by a donated Lam Research etch cluster tool with atomic layer etch capability. The Cory Hall NanoLab Machine Shop provides custom instrumentation fabrication with CNC lathe, 5-axis CNC mill, and ultra-high vacuum welding capabilities.

The facility operates a membership-based GTM serving two primary segments: academic researchers (UC Berkeley graduate students, post-docs, faculty, visiting scholars, plus LBNL personnel via Intra-University Transfer) and industry affiliate members (private sector firms and national labs including Sandia and Lawrence Livermore). Members must pass the NanoLab Safety Test to receive 24/7 card-key access. Revenue is generated through tiered usage-based pricing (Tier 0 metrology at no cost up to Tier 3 SEM/DUV at $76.80/hour academic / $165.00/hour affiliate), monthly lab access fees, and the Affiliate Member Capacity Fee ranging from $18,500/year (1 employee) to $80,000/year (6 employees) with 60.5% overhead applied to usage fees. Staff engineering services are billed at $145.80/hour. Academic research is exempt from overhead, while non-UC external funding carries a 10% AFC fee. The facility is led by Executive Director Michael Helmbrecht and is affiliated with CITRIS, occupying shared space in Sutardja Dai Hall.

The NanoLab supports research across microelectronics, MEMS, biosensors, optical components, and nanoscale integrated technologies, with parallel tool sets isolating material compatibility for diverse concurrent projects. Documented 0.35 micron CMOS baseline process flows (CMOS 170/180/190/200) form the technical backbone. Capital investment is heavily supported by corporate donations from Lam Research, ASML, Applied Materials, Tokyo Electron, Veeco, and Tystar, alongside grants from ME Commons and the Berkeley Frontier Fund. The facility is a founding host of the UGIM symposium and claims heritage including Nobel Prize-winning Josephson Junction research by John Martinis (1984-1985) in the predecessor Microlab. FY 2027 rates became effective June 25, 2026, with pricing reforms intended to broaden utilization.

Name

Marvell Nanofabrication Laboratory

Legal name

UC Berkeley Marvell Nanofabrication Laboratory

Website

https://nanolab.berkeley.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Marvell Nanofabrication Laboratory (NanoLab) is a UC Berkeley shared cleanroom facility offering 15,000+ square feet of Class 100/1000 micro- and nanofabrication services to academic and industry researchers via membership-based access. It supports hundreds of users across MEMS, biosensors, photonics, and CMOS research with 100+ tools and expert staff.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Micro/Nanofabrication Cleanroom Services

NAICS

Printed Circuit Assembly (Electronic Assembly) Manufacturing (334418), Machine Shops (33271), Machine Shops (332710)

SIC

Laboratory Apparatus & Furniture (3821), Special Industry Machinery, Nec (3559)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) (IMAGAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) Equipment (HDAHAEAF)

Keywords

• Cleanroom fabrication services
• Nanofabrication research facilities
• Semiconductor cleanroom access
• Microfabrication process engineering
• University research cleanroom

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Academic Membership & Lab Use Fees: Academic members (graduate students, faculty, post-docs) pay tiered equipment rates based on usage tier (General Lab, Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3). Lab access fee plus hourly equipment use rates with monthly caps. No overhead charged for UC-funded research; 10% AFC fee for non-UC external funding.
2. Industry/Affiliate Membership: Industry members pay annual Affiliate Member Capacity Fee (AMCF) ranging from $18,500/year (1 employee) to $80,000/year (6 employees). Additional lab access fee ($202/month), equipment tier rates, and 60.5% overhead applied to all usage fees. 30-day billing cycle.
3. Staff Services: Technical engineering services provided by staff at $145.80/hour for both academic and affiliate members. Services include process engineering, mask-making, and technical consultation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

The Marvell Nanofabrication Laboratory operates a 15,000+ square foot Class 100/1000 cleanroom providing shared micro- and nanofabrication access to academic and industry researchers. Services span wet chemical processing, photolithography, thin film deposition, etching, metrology, bonding/packaging, and CMP, with usage-based hourly rates, tiered equipment pricing, and an annual membership model. Expert equipment and process engineering staff support members, and an in-house machine shop delivers precision custom instrumentation and fixturing fabrication.

Product overview

The Marvell Nanofabrication Laboratory (NanoLab) is a shared research cleanroom facility at UC Berkeley offering micro- and nanofabrication services. It features over 15,000 square feet of Class 100 and 1000 cleanroom space and provides comprehensive process capabilities including wet chemical processing, photolithography, thin film deposition, etching, metrology, and bonding/packaging services. The facility supports both academic and industry researchers with equipment access, process engineering staff support, and a machine shop for custom instrumentation fabrication.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Academic Membership & Cleanroom Access

Quantifiable outcome

• Nobel Prize winning Josephson Junction research fabricated in Microlab
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• ASMLmajorTechnology or IntegrationEquipment vendor and supporter providing DUV stepper (ASML 5500/300) and 8-inch wafer conversion capability. ASML conversion training planned for staff with tool configured for alternating 8-inch/6-inch operation.
• CITRIS (Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUC Berkeley research center. NanoLab operates as part of CITRIS, sharing Sutardja Dai Hall facility space and resources.
• UC Berkeley College of EngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent academic unit providing institutional support, facilities, and administrative infrastructure for the NanoLab.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Georgia Tech Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology (IEN): Georgia Tech's cleanroom facility with 200mm capability, multi-user model, and strong industry affiliate program serving the Southeast research ecosystem.
• MIT Microsystems Technology Laboratories (MTL): MIT's shared nanofabrication facility serving academic and industry users with advanced semiconductor processing, similar business model of academic + affiliate membership, and CMOS/MEMS/biosensor process capabilities.
• University of Michigan Lurie Nanofabrication Facility: Major university nanofab with 200mm processing, similar industry affiliate model, and broad CMOS/MEMS/photonics capabilities competing for national research projects.
• Caltech Kavli Nanoscience Institute: Caltech's shared nanofabrication cleanroom serving the Pasadena research community with comparable lithography, deposition, and etching capabilities.
• Penn State Nanofabrication Laboratory: Penn State's shared nanofabrication facility with industry affiliate access, supporting semiconductor and MEMS prototyping for academic and commercial users.
• Cornell NanoScale Science and Technology Facility (CNF): Cornell's National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure node offering micro/nanofabrication with industry affiliate program, comparable process capabilities and user structure.
• Stanford Nanofabrication Facility (SNF): Stanford's shared cleanroom facility offering comparable micro/nanofabrication capabilities, equipment access, and industry affiliate membership. Direct competitor for Bay Area academic and industry research projects.

Broad incumbents

• X-FAB Silicon Foundries: Commercial specialty foundry for MEMS and analog/mixed-signal semiconductor manufacturing; competes with NanoLab for industry prototype and low-volume production work, particularly for fabless semiconductor startups.
• TSMC University Shuttle Program: TSMC's university program provides academic researchers access to leading-edge commercial CMOS process technologies via MPW shuttles; competes indirectly for academic research dollars and graduate student training.

Emerging players

• Argonne National Laboratory Center for Nanoscale Materials: DOE national lab user facility offering advanced nanofabrication with similar multi-user access model, complementary for users needing capabilities beyond Berkeley's scope (e.g., advanced lithography, X-ray tools).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/marvell-nanofabrication-laboratory

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Marvell Nanofabrication Laboratory