How to Order
and Prepare an RFQ
Everything a first inquiry needs: what to send, how a quotation is built, when lead time starts, and how universities and research groups can buy from us. Your information stays confidential; an NDA is available whenever you want one. Prototype orders from one wafer; chips and coupons by review.
response target
after information is complete
order
single flow
What to send with a first inquiry
Including the information below helps us assess feasibility and identify any follow-up questions. Additional technical review may be needed for complex or custom processes.
Substrate and size
Material (Si, SiC, GaN, GaAs, InP, glass, sapphire, ceramic), diameter or panel size, thickness, orientation, and surface finish. Say whether you supply the substrates or we do.
Process and stack
The processes you need in order (for example lithography, etch, deposition, bonding, bumping), the film stack with target thicknesses, and any process you have already done on the wafers, including existing metal.
Design data
GDSII, DXF, or DWG is best; PDF drawings and dimensioned sketches are welcome for an initial review; any CAD conversion or mask-data preparation is scoped and quoted separately where required. Mark the critical dimensions, tolerances, and which layer is which.
Target versus acceptance
Tell us what you are aiming for (target properties) separately from what you will accept or reject a lot on (acceptance specifications). Feasibility, acceptance criteria, inspection methods, and sampling are agreed in writing before fabrication.
Quantity and stage
Number of wafers, chips, coupons, or panels, and whether this is a feasibility trial, prototype, pilot, or repeat lot. From 1 wafer is fine.
Schedule and constraints
Target date, thermal budget of finished devices, export-control status of the design, and any material or chemistry the wafers must not see.
How to Order and Prepare an RFQ
Scope and specification options. Every figure is confirmed for your program in the quotation.
Confidentiality, and the NDA when you want one
We treat the project information you share as confidential and use it to evaluate your inquiry and, if you proceed, to perform the agreed project work. For a first feasibility answer the outline is enough: substrate, process list, dimensions, quantity, and budget range. That usually lets us give you an initial view on fit and a budget indication quickly, before anyone spends time on paperwork.
Share the outline first
A short description without proprietary detail is the fastest route to an initial feasibility view and a budget indication. Most programs start this way.
NDA at any stage
You can request a mutual NDA at any stage; we arrange execution once both parties agree on the terms. It can come before the first call or after the budget is confirmed, whichever suits you.
Export-controlled data
Tell us before sending technical data that is subject to export control; we confirm in writing that we can receive it and that any required authorizations are in place.
File transfer
Share design files by a link to your own drive (Google Drive, OneDrive, Box, or your transfer server) or by encrypted attachment. We confirm receipt and the file list before review.
How a quotation is built
We aim to provide an initial engineering response typically within one business day. Feasibility review and quotation timing depend on the project and the information available; written quotations are typically prepared within 7-10 business days after the required information is complete.
Targets: initial response typically within one business day; written quotation typically 7-10 business days after the information is complete
| Stage | What happens | What you receive |
|---|---|---|
| Initial response (target: one business day) | A process engineer acknowledges the inquiry, checks the outline against the requested substrate, geometry, and stack, and lists open questions. | Initial view on fit and, if needed, a short list of questions |
| Process definition | We prepare a proposed process flow and inspection plan, including any required masks or tooling, for your confirmation. | Draft flow for your confirmation |
| Written quotation (7-10 business days) | Price per lot and per wafer, NRE if any, masks and tooling, inspection deliverables, lead time and its start conditions, validity period, payment terms. | Formal quotation (PDF), English or Japanese |
| Order | Submit a purchase order or signed quotation. Payment terms and any required advance payment are specified in our quotation. | Order confirmation |
| Pre-fabrication confirmation | For programs with masks or new stacks: final layer thicknesses, mask layouts, and acceptance criteria signed off before fabrication is released. | Confirmation document to sign |
| Fabrication and inspection | Runs under the traveler; inspection at the agreed points (optical, dimensional, CD-SEM, electrical, or others as agreed). | Status updates at milestones, inspection data as agreed |
| Shipping | Wafers in cassettes or single-wafer carriers, masks in shipping boxes, N₂ purge where specified; tracked worldwide delivery with export paperwork. | Shipment notice and tracking |
Development costs, inspection, and lead time
NRE and development
Standard processes are quoted per lot. Non-standard stacks, new materials, or geometry outside qualified ranges carry a development charge (design review, test coupons, characterization) quoted as a separate line so you can see what is one-time and what repeats.
Inspection included
Inspection is defined per project. Typical deliverables are optical inspection and dimensional data; CD-SEM, cross-section SEM, sheet resistance, film thickness, and electrical test are available by agreement and listed in the quotation.
When lead time starts
Lead time starts when the conditions specified in the quotation are met: normally confirmed design data, substrates on hand (yours or ours), the order, and any advance payment stated in the quotation. Typical lead time is 4-8 weeks for a single-process flow; multi-process and development projects are scheduled in the quotation.
Customer-supplied substrates
Welcome. Send the material, diameter, thickness, orientation, finish, and process history; wafers carrying existing metal are reviewed before acceptance. We record incoming condition before the first step.
Changes after order
Specification changes are handled through a written change note with any cost or schedule effect stated before we proceed.
Repeat lots
A completed prototype flow is kept on file for repeat lots. For repeat orders, confirm the process revision, substrate condition, quantity, and required date, and tell us about any changes since the previous lot.
Procurement for research groups
We welcome inquiries from universities and public research institutes. The process is the same; the paperwork is adapted to yours.
Quotations and invoices
Formal quotations and invoices in English or Japanese, in JPY or USD, addressed to the institution and referencing your grant or project number where required.
Purchase orders
Tell us your institution's purchase-order, procurement-registration, and invoicing requirements before quotation. We will confirm the documentation and payment terms we can support.
Small lots
Small-lot projects are welcome. Minimum quantities and process charges depend on the route; wafer-based fabrication may start from one wafer, while chips, coupons and customer-supplied pieces are reviewed separately. The quotation defines the fabrication lot and the number of parts delivered.
Student and lab communication
Engineers correspond in English or Japanese directly with the researcher; we can join a short video call to define the flow before quoting.
One-minute checklist
Send it through the Technical RFQ form or to sales@nanosystemsjp.co.jp.
Open the inquiry formStart your project.
Initial response typically within one business day.
Share your process requirements, substrate, and production volume. A Nanosystems JP Inc. engineer gives an initial response, typically within one business day. A written quotation typically follows within 7-10 business days after we receive the required information and complete any prerequisite NDA.