CEA's Electronics and Information Technology Laboratory (Leti) was started in 1967 and now ranks as one of the largest centres in Europe for applied research in electronics. Leti's activities, centering on microcomponents and
their integration in electronic systems, primarily concern:
- micro and nanotechnology for microelectronics,
- microsystem technologies, design and integration,
- imaging technologies,
- micro and nanotechnology for biology and healthcare,
- communications technology and roaming devices.
Leti employs 1,500 people, of which 500 outside staff (PhDs, research partners, firms). It has substantial resources, with more than 10,000 square metres of clean room space and a wide range of equipment. It also has access to other CEA Grenoble facilities and the science park as a whole, in addition to the recently installed resources of Minatec. Its main mission is to help business increase its competitive edge through technological innovation and to transfer its technical know-how to industry.
Since its start Leti has been one of the driving forces behind the development of microelectronics in Grenoble, prompting the launch of about 30 start-ups such as Soitec. It had also played a decisive role in the former Crolles2 Alliance and the Minatec innovation centre. Certified as an Institut Carnot since 2006, Leti enjoys a special relationship with industry, with 200 partners and 350 contracts signed every year. It files 200 patents every year and manages a portfolio of 600 international patents.

Since 2008, Leti multiplies strategic allainces. Nano 2012 represents a comparable investment consisting of a €2.372bn R&D programme coupled with a capital investment by STMicroelectronics amounting to $1.25bn. Beginning in 2008, it teamed up STMicroelectronics with CEA-Leti and IBM to join the IBM CMOS Technology Alliance and develop new 32 and 22 nanometre CMOS technology processes between now and 2012, as well as design techniques and advanced research suited to the fabrication of 300mm wafers. This cooperation agreement consolidates the drawing power of the Grenoble cluster and makes Leti the only research institute to belong to IBM’s Joint Development Alliance

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