# Institute of Microelectronics, Electromagnetism and Photonics - Microwave Laboratory and Characterization

> research unit in Grenoble and Savoy, France

**Wikidata**: [Q3152051](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3152051)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/institute-of-microelectronics-electromagnetism-and-photonics-microwave-laboratory-and-characterization

## Summary
The Institute of Microelectronics, Electromagnetism and Photonics – Microwave Laboratory and Characterization (IMEP-LAHC) is a French national research unit (UMR 5130) created in 2001 that conducts microelectronics, electromagnetism and photonics research from sites in Grenoble and Savoy. Jointly supervised by Grenoble Institute of Technology, Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont Blanc and the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), it operates as a single laboratory under the administrative label “Institut de Microélectronique, Électromagnétisme et Photonique – Laboratoire d’Hyperfréquences et de Caractérisation”.

## Key Facts
- **Founded**: 2001 (CNRS UMR 5130)
- **ROR ID**: 03taa9n66; **GRID ID**: grid.462157.3
- **Legal status**: French “Unité Mixte de Recherche” (UMR) — a joint research institute
- **Parent organizations**: CNRS, Grenoble Institute of Technology, Grenoble Alpes University, Savoy Mont Blanc University, Joseph Fourier University, Institute of Engineering and Systems Science
- **Locations**: Grenoble and Savoy, France
- **ISNI**: 0000 0004 0382 8823
- **HAL structure ID**: 48098
- **French national research structure ID**: 200111812P
- **Website**: http://imep-lahc.grenoble-inp.fr/

## FAQs
### Q: What does IMEP-LAHC stand for?
A: IMEP-LAHC is the acronym for “Institut de Microélectronique, Électromagnétisme et Photonique – Laboratoire d’Hyperfréquences et de Caractérisation,” the official French name of the laboratory.

### Q: Which universities and institutes run IMEP-LAHC?
A: The unit is co-administered by CNRS, Grenoble Institute of Technology, Grenoble Alpes University, Savoy Mont Blanc University, and the Institute of Engineering and Systems Science.

### Q: Is IMEP-LAHC only in Grenoble?
A: No — while headquartered in Grenoble, the laboratory explicitly covers research activities in both Grenoble and the Savoy region.

### Q: What kind of research does IMEP-LAHC perform?
A: As a CNRS UMR it carries out fundamental and applied research in microelectronics, electromagnetism and photonics, with a historically strong focus on microwave (hyper-frequency) devices and characterization techniques.

## Why It Matters
IMEP-LAHC is one of the few French public laboratories that unites microelectronics, electromagnetism and photonics under one administrative roof, giving it cross-disciplinary reach that mirrors the convergence of these fields in modern telecom, sensing and chip-scale systems. Created at the height of the early-2000s telecom boom, the lab’s designation as CNRS UMR 5130 instantly placed it in the top tier of France’s competitive research base, guaranteeing long-term core funding and access to national clean-room and characterization platforms. Its joint supervision by both Grenoble and Savoy universities anchors the laboratory in two of France’s key alpine innovation clusters, linking it to a pipeline of engineering students, start-ups and industrial partners working on 5G/6G, integrated photonics and power microelectronics. For policymakers, IMEP-LAHC functions as a strategic test-bed where academic advances in high-frequency characterization can be transferred to local industry; for researchers it is a recognized affiliation that signals rigorous peer review and international visibility.

## Notable For
- One of the rare CNRS UMRs whose mandate explicitly couples microelectronics with photonics and microwave science
- Dual-campus structure spanning Grenoble — Europe’s micro-nano powerhouse — and Savoy, enabling access to both large-scale clean rooms and alpine space-test facilities
- Operates under six co-tutoring institutions, giving it broader administrative backing than most single-university labs
- Historical strength in hyper-frequency characterization, reflected in the laboratory’s official name

## Body
### Administrative Status
IMEP-LAHC is classified in the French research landscape as a “Unité Mixte de Recherche” (UMR) and is registered with the CNRS under number UMR 5130. The joint supervision model means the laboratory receives base funding from multiple institutions and must satisfy scientific evaluations from each parent body.

### Identifiers
The laboratory’s stable identifiers are:
- ROR: 03taa9n66
- GRID: grid.462157.3
- ISNI: 0000 0004 0382 8823
- VIAF: 310747494
- IDREF: 18021621X
- Ringgold: 131754
- HAL structure ID: 48098
- French ministry ID: 200111812P

These numbers are used by international indexing services, grant agencies and open-access repositories to disambiguate the institute from similarly named entities.

### Naming Variants
Official French name: “Institut de Microélectronique, Électromagnétisme et Photonique – Laboratoire d’Hyperfréquences et de Caractérisation.”
Common short forms: IMEP-LAHC, IMEP, Laboratoire d’Hyperfréquences et de Caractérisation. English translations such as “Institute of Microelectronics, Electromagnetism and Photonics – Microwave Laboratory and Characterization” appear in directories but are not statutory names.

### Parent Organizations
The laboratory’s governing board includes representatives from:
- CNRS (overall coordinator for UMRs)
- Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble-INP)
- Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA)
- Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB)
- Joseph Fourier University (now part of UGA)
- Institute of Engineering and Systems Science (IXL)

This multi-institutional governance is designed to pool resources and to align training programs with research priorities.

## References

1. [Source](https://aurehal.archives-ouvertes.fr/structure/48098)
2. GRID Release 2017-04-04
3. French National Directory of Research Structures
4. HAL