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European Sharc25 project aims to achieve 25 percent efficiency with thin-film solar cells

A new European research project that goes by the name Sharc25 is setting out to make an extremely efficient thin-film solar cell for the next generation of more cost-effective solar modules. Its objective is to achieve up to 25 percent efficiency in thin-film solar cells made by the co-evaporation of copper indium gallium (di)selenide, or CIGS for short. That kind of performance would top the previous best mark by just over three percentage points. The International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL) in Braga is a partner in this project, which is coordinated by the Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW). Altogether, eleven research partners from eight countries are on board. The list of partner also includes EMPA (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology), the universities of Luxembourg (LU), Rouen (F), Parma (I) and Aalto (FIN), the IMEC (Interuniversitair Micro-Elektronica Centrum VZW in B), the HZB (Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie in D), Flisom AG (CH), and Manz CIGS Technology GmbH (D). Launched in May, the project will run for 3.5 years and get €4.6 million in EU funding sourced from the research framework program Horizon 2020. The Swiss government is providing another €1.6 million. The […]

Meet us in Riga for the EuroNanoForum2015

INL will be present in Riga, Latvia, for the EuroNanoforum2015. We will welcome you in Booth 22. Meet us there.

First Nanotech Meetup

On the 17th of June, the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL) is launching the first in a series of meetup events that will promote discussions of Nanotechnology challenges and opportunities for the Braga entrepreneurial ecosystem. The dual aims of this event are: to discuss how Nanotechnology has the potential to provide solutions to societal challenges and to introduce the joint INL and StartUp Braga business incubator programme. This incubator aspires to encourage and stimulate growth in companies with nanotechnology-based solutions applied in the health, energy, food quality, and environment monitoring application areas. This incubator is fully integrated within INL’s high-quality research infrastructure and provides a one-of-a-kind facility. For selected startups, the joint INL and StartUp Braga incubator programme provides on-going tailored guidance as well as a set of integrated RTD and business development services along the whole business incubation cycle. Target Audience: Researchers, Entrepreneurs, Investors, University Technology Transfer Offices, Universities, Research and Technological Development Centres and Students. Please register here until June 14th.

INL hosted China INL workshop on micro and nanomanufacturing , May 4-5

INL hosted China INL bilateral workshop on micro and nanomanufacturing, May 4th-5th. The workshop covered trends in micro and nanomanufacturing including top-down nanofabrication, nanoimprinting, laser micro and nanofabrication, surface nanostructuring and characterization, and applications into a variety of sensors and biosensors. The Chinese delegation included 16 members with scientists from Tsinghua University, the Institute of Physics from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Beijing Institute of Technology, the University of Science and Technology of China, Xi ´an Jiantong University, Soochow University, the National University of Defense Technology, the Shanghai Institute of Microsystems, and the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Portuguese participants came from INL, INESC MN/IST, Minho University and CENTI. Please read the Programme here

INL SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME 2015

INL is now launching the 2015 INL Summer Internship Programme for Science Students. This initiative will allow 20 students to take part in ongoing research projects during the summer of 2015. Candidates should be approaching the final stages of their graduate course in sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or equivalent), Engineering (Electrical, Biological, Biomedical, others) or related areas. Details of the 2015 INL Summer Internship Programme: ● Training Station: INL, Braga, Portugal ● Training offered for 2 months in the period between June 15th to September 15th, 2015 (exact starting and ending dates will be fixed after the assignation of the Internships). ● Projects will be led by INL research staff. ● For students coming from outside the local area and needing accommodation, INL will secure accommodation near the laboratory. Interested applicants should submit their curriculum vitae and a cover letter (including their university transcripts) and a cover letter. Applications without university transcripts will not be considered. Required is a statement from the University informing about the year of your studies and scientific degree. The application must be submitted online through INL’s portal at: http://inl.int/ (Work at INL/ Scholarship/ INL Summer Internship Programme 2015 /Apply for this Job) Enquires about the […]

INL community observed a minute of silence in memory of Mariano Gago

With the flags at half-mast INL joined the Portuguese scientific community and observed a minute of silence in memory of Mariano Gago. The former minister of Science passed away April 17th. Mariano Gago played a significant, indeed an essential role in the setting up of INL, driving the project forward with much determination and strength. He led this political project but he also had an important role in defining the scientific programme in order to make INL internationally competitive. Mariano Gago fostered research that is now increasingly carried out in a framework of international cooperation, as an opportunity for Portugal to develop new products and provide new types of knowledge-intensive services. He graduated as an electrical engineer from the Technical University of Lisbon’s Instituto Superior Técnico and did advanced research work in Paris at the École Polytechnique as a high-energy physicist. When Professor of Physics at Instituto Superior Técnico in Lisbon, he worked at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) in Geneva for several years. He was a member of the CERN Council (1985–1990), the EC Joint Research Centre Board of Governors (1986–1989), President of the Portuguese National Board for Science and Technology (1986–1989), and was chair of the European […]

INL signed Letter of Intent to strengthen collaboration with Argentina

March 13 – The International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL) signed a Letter of Intent to strengthen scientific collaboration with Argentina, in the area of Nanotechnology and Nanoscience. The agreement was signed in Buenos Aires by the Argentine Minister of Science, Technology and Productive Innovation (MINCYT), Lino Barañao, and INL’s Director-General, Lars Montelius. The signing ceremony took place during the EU-Argentina Conference 10 years of Cooperation in Science, Technology and Productive Innovation. The agreement joins the Argentine Ministry of Science and Technical Research, the – National Council for Scientific and Technical Research of Argentina (CONICET) and INL with the goal is to “promote joint activities to strengthen the scientific and technical cooperation” and “facilitate access to institutions of science, technology and innovation, researchers, students and companies” to INL facilities, in Braga (Portugal) and CIBION (Centro de Investigaciones en Bionanociencias – Research Center for Bionanosciences), Buenos Aires (Argentina), for the development of highly qualified human resources. The planned activities comprise joint research and development projects of common interest in Nanotechnology; exchange programs for researchers, doctoral and postdoctoral candidates in Nanotechnology; organization of the scientific meeting, use of equipment and facilities for joint development, exchange of scientific, and technical information in the field, […]

Acceleration Program for Start-ups

INL is a partner in the 2nd edition of the Startup Braga Acceleration. This program is a local initiative designed to help start-ups build, execute and validate their business model, access international markets and obtain funding. This year’s program will run for 3 months with a limited number of teams. The current edition is focused on Mobile/eCommerce, MedTech and Nanotechnology. For more information about the program read here To apply, click here

INL hosted workshop on research and development of photovoltaics

European projections show that in 2050, 15% to 30% of all generated electricity will come from photovoltaics, making it a field of strategic interest for Portugal and Europe. Among others, this was one of the motivations for the workshop that took place Monday (9th of February) at the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), in Braga. “Portugal has a very significant number of researchers working in different aspects of photovoltaics and this workshop was used to identify synergy opportunities between the groups. There is no doubt that this is a strategic sector for Portugal and for Europe”, said Pedro Salomé, a researcher from INL and co-organizer of the workshop that gathered over 40 photovoltaic specialists in Braga, Portugal. Along with researchers from INL and Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia (LNEG), the other co-organising partner, the following institutions also participated: Universidade do Minho, Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto, Universidade de Aveiro, Universidade de Coimbra, Faculdade de Ciências e Instituto Superior Técnico da Universidade de Lisboa and Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa. There were also observers from the industry taking part in the meeting, namely Martifer Solar, Open Renewables and Edp Inovação. In total, 42 […]