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INL accelerates the development of applications with a new nanoimprint system

INL – International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory has purchased an Eitre 8 NIL nanoimprint system from Obducat, a leading supplier of lithography solutions based on nanoimprint lithography (NIL). This investment reinforces INL high-end equipment portfolio and consequently its ability to provide better and faster outcomes. This nanoimprint system will be installed in the INL cleanroom facilities. With its high-throughput and high yield capabilities of replicating nanostructures at the 200 mm wafer-scale, this lithography system will allow to significantly reduce process and development times for INL and its partners. It will be used for a broad range of applications, covering fields in optics, nanosensors and surfaces with very special functions, to name a few. The EITRE system is scheduled to be delivered to INL during the fourth quarter this year.

IBM-QuantaLab School on Quantum Computing 2018

The IBM-QuantaLab School aims to provide both an overview of the current status of quantum computation as well as the potential for applications of quantum computing. Organised by IBM Research and QuantaLab and sponsored by Nanogateway, the School includes the participation of 6 researchers from IBM Zurich, one of the world-leading institutions in the fabrication of the first commercially available quantum computers, and several experts on different areas of Quantum Information, Condensed Matter Physics and Computer Science. The scope of the school will be to provide an Introduction to Quantum Computing, being the main objectives: – To provide an introductory description of the main notions and the massive potential of quantum computing, as well as some basic notions of the hardware of IBM quantum computers. – To provide hands-on technical training, using the IBM Quantum Experience hardware. Know more and register here.

Breakthrough in accessing the tiny magnet within the core of a single atom

New method enables identification of different isotopes atom by atom Braga, Portugal — A international collaboration, including INL researchers – Jose Lado (ETH, Zurich), Alejandro Ferrón (CONYCET, Argentina) and Joaquín Rossier ( Theory of Quantum Nanostructures Group Leader at INL) –, have made a major scientific breakthrough by detecting the nuclear magnetism, or “nuclear spin” of a single atom. The experiments have been carried out by IBM Research at Almaden (California), in collaboration with the University of Oxford and QNS (Seoul). The researchers used advanced and novel techniques to measure the nuclear spin of individual atoms on surfaces for the first time. Normally the nuclear spin, which describes the magnetism of the atom’s core, can only be detected in very large numbers. The findings, published today in the journal Science, show that this is now also possible for single atoms on a surface. To do that the team used a Scanning Tunneling Microscope, which consists of an atomically sharp metal tip and allows researchers to image and probe single atoms. The two elements that were investigated in this work, iron and titanium, are atoms that can have a different number of neutrons in the atom’s core, these are the so-called […]

Regional agents discuss the action plan in the context of the NMP-REG project

Norte Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR-N) and the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL) organised an NMP-REG regional stakeholder group meeting, on 28th September, at the premises of CCDR-N, in Porto (Portugal). This meeting gathered stakeholders from the regional scientific and technological system, clusters and competitiveness poles and entities from the public sector. The session focused on the actions proposed for the Norte Region action plan, which are aimed at improving an investment priority of the Regional Operational Programme – Norte 2020. Additionally, the main challenges faced by stakeholders in this field and the project state of the art were also discussed. The participants took a very active role in this meeting and provided many interesting insights.

“Meat” me at the Lab

In the last 50 years, meat consumption increased by 330%. In 2016, there were 28 billion live animals mostly used for food production for 7.4 billion of humans, worldwide. This demand is causing huge health and environment problems such as soil contamination, antibiotic resistance, green-gas emission, deforestation and tons of animal suffering. You might have never thought about this, but meat is a high-protein food composed of highly organized muscle and fat cells. And, today, we can grow those cells in culture flasks instead of in the animals. This is what the new-born industry of cell-based meats does. They might mitigate many of those impacts by dropping land use by 99%, reducing agricultural gas emissions by 78%-96%, and not using antibiotics. Sara M. Oliveira, Postdoctoral Fellow at Food Processing Group, contributed in the report “You are What you Meat”, recently published by Massive Science and available here. This is a science guide to equip you with everything you need to stay informed as a scientist, consumer or a science-curious reader.

INL integrates Program IACOBUS to foster scientific cooperation

The INL – International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory is one of the 26 Scientific and Higher Education organisations located in “Galicia – North of Portugal” that signed an agreement for the development of Cultural, Scientific and Teaching cooperation in this Euroregion. IACOBUS Program will promote the cooperation and exchange of human resources between the member institutions, to facilitate the flow of innovation. The protocol was signed on October 14th by the Director-General Lars Montelius on behalf of INL during a ceremony presided by the Portuguese Secretary of State for Science, Technology and Higher Education, Maria Fernanda Rollo, in the presence of the President of CCDR-N (Regional Coordination Agency for the North of Portugal), Fernando de Sousa, and the Vice-President of Xunta de Galicia (Galicia Regional Government), Alfonso Rueda Valenzuela.

Mission 10.000 Call for abstracts

INL Summit 2018 third day will be dedicated to Mission 10.000 – a nanoGateway International Conference. This main conference topic will be Nanotechnology: an enabler for bioeconomy and subjects as agriculture (including forestry sector), water resources and food industry will be discussed thro papers, oral presentations and many other sessions. This Mission is a collaborative multi-actor sector initiative to increase the impact of research on issues of social relevance, involving all the relevant actors to solve complex challenges. Submit your abstract on this Mission until September 15th and get involved in a unique conference. See you on October 17th, at Forum Braga! For more information, please visit the official website.

Call for projects Enhance Microalgae

The EnhanceMicroAlgae is a Project funded by Interreg Atlantic Area Programme. It aims to contribute to the competitiveness of the microalgae-based industry in the Atlantic Area through the transfer of technological and economic expertise to the commercial sector. This project will facilitate information transfer between a panel of experts and companies specialising in different areas like; nutritional, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, thus, encouraging business cooperation among the different countries. This consortium offers a wide range of skills and interests, with strong track records for science, production and exploitation of microalgae throughout the Atlantic Area. We will: – Undertake a comprehensive analysis of skills, skill gaps and opportunities in the microalgae sector – Develop case studies, supported by Decision Support Tools, to increase economic performance and competitiveness with the transfer of know-how from academic and technological centres to SMEs – Analyze critical factors of operation from an environmental point of view – Incorporate nanotechnology/new technologies (emerging and/or transferred from other sectors) to microalgae sector – Encourage the creation of spin-offs and self-employment. Looking for a partner to help you kick your project in the microalgae industry? EnhanceMicroAlgae is the project you’ve been waiting for. Chosen projects will be supported at three different levels: […]

INL DG pays tribute to a forgotten enabler: vacuum

Lars Montelius, Director-General (DG) of INL was interviewed by Physics World as President of IUVSTA – International Union for Vacuum Science, Technique and Applications and took the opportunity to underline the irreplaceable relevance of vacuum to modern science. By the occasion of IUVSTA 60th Anniversary, INL DG was happy to acknowledge that vacuum is now a technique so common which unfortunately leads to people to forget about how important it is. “Simply speaking, without vacuum many industries would not exist”, giving the semiconductor industry as an example. Nanotechnology is also a major beneficiary from the vacuum since it “is important if you want to understand materials at a very small scale”. And all this starts from a paradox: most of the things you now take for granted and so significantly changed your life for the better came from the void enabled by vacuum. And speaking about paradoxes, in this interview, Lars Montelius also notes “there is a gap emerging between being a heavy user of technology and being interested in contributing to developing that technology further”, adding that we need to “get more people into the field”. You can read the full interview here.