News

COVID-19 EVENTS FUNDED PROJECTS GENERAL INL PICKS INL STATEMENTS INNOVATION MOST POPULAR PEOPLE RESEARCH SCALE EXPERIENCES SCALE TRAVELS SEMICONDUCTORS SINFONIA PROJECT SPOTLIGHT WOMEN IN SCIENCE WOMEN IN STEM

INL participates in the fabrication of the smallest hard disk to date

A collaboration between the Dutch University TU Delft and INL leads to the fabrication of a laboratory prototype of digital memory with atomic-scale bits that outperforms the storage density of current technologies by a factor of 500. The results were published in Nature Nanotechnology A kilobyte rewritable atomic memory (authors: F. E. Kalff, M. P. Rebergen, E. Fahrenfort, J. Girovsky, R. Toskovic, J. L. Lado, J. Fernández-Rossier & A. F. Otte) Every day, modern society creates more than a billion gigabytes of new data. To store all this data, it is increasingly important that each single bit occupies as little space as possible. A team of scientists at the Kavli Institute of Nanoscience at Delft University, in collaboration with the theory group at INL, managed to bring this reduction to the ultimate limit: a memory of 1 kilobyte (8,000 bits), where each bit is represented by the position of one single chlorine atom. “In theory, this storage density would allow all books ever created by humans to be written on a single postage stamp”, says lead-scientist Sander Otte, from TU Delft. Records The fabricated memory breaks several records. “It is, by far, the largest structure fabricated by assembling atoms 1 […]

Delivering Nanotechnologies, advanced Materials and Production to REGional manufacturing

Nanotechnologies and new materials (NMP) are a cornerstone of EU policy for innovation and advanced manufacturing. As one of the Key Enabling Technologies, the EU believes that NMP can reverse negative growth trends in manufacturing and foster growth and jobs. The statement is clear, but the road from intent to transfer, application and exploitation of NMP in manufacturing are long. NMP is dealt with in research. However, the common challenge is to ensure that innovation actors cooperate to deliver research results to the manufacturing sector, with subsequent benefits for regional growth. NMPREG groups partners from 5 regions, who want to face this challenge together. Their overall objective is to improve regional policies for the delivery of innovation in NMP to manufacturing. NMPREG focuses on policy actions that can support innovation delivery, using coordinated action from key players. Changes are particularly expected in projects funded by policy instruments (3 ERDF ROP / 2 other key policy tools for innovation), particularly in cluster support, financing for innovation actors and other horizontal innovation delivery measures. Partners also hope to influence policy management, in terms of monitoring and evaluation criteria for innovation delivery. NMPREG achieves this through exchanging experiences and Good Practices in a […]

INL and UMinho launch joint laboratory – the Quanta Lab

The INL – International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory joined forces with the University of Minho to create a joint laboratory. The Quanta Lab is devoted to research and training on Quantum Materials and Quantum Technologies, two cutting edge research areas that address several of the most important and fundamental questions in Materials Science and Condensed Matter Physics, and hold the promise of a new wave of technological innovations that is known as the second quantum revolution. The creation of the new centre was officially announced on July 1, 2016. The Director-General of INL, Lars Montelius, and the Rector of the University of Minho, António Cunha, signed the agreement in a ceremony presided over by the Portuguese Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, Manuel Heitor. On the occasion, the German physicist Prof. Jorg Wrachtrup (University of Stuttgart) delivered a colloquium on the topic “Quantum sensors: From basic science to prototypes”. “The field of quantum materials aims to explore the emergent properties, such as superconductivity, magnetism and exact quantisation of conductance, that arise in many systems as a result of competing interactions and also their so-called topological properties. Essential in this endeavour will be the collaboration between physicists, chemists, biologists, engineers, experimentalists, […]

NanoTRAINforGrowth II – INL’s Post-Doctoral COFUND Fellowship Programme Open!

INL is launching the first call for the NanoTRAINforGrowth II – Post-Doctoral Cofund Fellowship Programme. This programme aims to provide an opportunity for experienced researchers (from all over the world and all nationalities) to sketch out a research project and work on their own research idea at INL´s facilities. We will provide the selected applicants the opportunity to develop and carry out a research project in a highly stimulating and multicultural environment, which includes access to state-of-the-art equipment and personal career assistance. Candidates should submit an innovative research proposal with relevance to the key strategic areas of INL being energy, health, food & environment and ICT. Proposals incorporating emerging fields such as meta-materials, plasmonics, quantum science & technology, bionics, advanced nanopatterning, 3-D printing, among others are welcome. All applications will be evaluated by a Selection Committee. Candidates are evaluated on multiple parameters, including but not limited to: Postdoctoral experience, scientific outcome (publications, patents, contribution of the candidates to the field as appropriate to their career stage), quality of the RTD projects and international standing. The closing date for applicants to send their application for the NanoTRAINforGrowth II – Post-Doctoral Fellowship is 14th of August and they are advised to read […]

Lifeng Liu was awarded the SPE Young Researcher Prize 2015

Lifeng Liu – Researcher and Head of the NESCS group at INL – was recently awarded by SPE – The Portuguese Electrochemical Society the Young Researcher Prize 2015. The award was created in 2010 by the SPE in order to promote scientific research in electrochemistry in Portugal and distinguishes researchers under 40, who have made a substantial contribution to the electrochemistry research during the past three years while working in Portugal. Lifeng Liu will deliver an oral presentation at the XXI Meeting of the Portuguese Electrochemical Society held at Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, in September 2016.

The Urban Algae Folly project comes to its end

The Urban Algae Folly project has now come to its end. The Urban Algae Folly was installed in a collaborative project comprising the INL – International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, the City of Braga, and the Foundation Francisco Manuel dos Santos. During the month of March, the live structure will be dismantled. Since November 17th 2015, the day of the inauguration, many people have visited the Praça da República, in the centre of Braga, to look at the Folly and to try to find out more about this live architecture. For over four months the Folly stirred the curiosity and attention of passers-by, locals and tourists alike. At first sight, each visitor was confronted with an alien object that later on motivated discussion and debate about science and sustainable development. To raise awareness about the project and increase its impact in education, the Center of Biological Engineering and the Center of Molecular and Environmental Biology from the University of Minho joined the project to support it with their invaluable expertise. The project ended with the Folly Week, a week of open classes that involved students from six different high schools in Braga and closed with a dedicated Science Café. The school […]

INL filed the largest number of requests from Portugal for patents in 2015

The INL – International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory filed 8 requests for Patents in 2015 to the EPO – European Patent Office. That makes INL the organisation in Portugal that filed the largest number of requests in 2015. “We have submitted several patents for the development of novel sensors, comprising different technologies, involving microfluidics and magnetoresistive sensors. We have also submitted four patents in the area of energy-related to batteries and solar cells”, advised Lars Montelius, Director-general of INL. The patent requests filed are technology patents. “They will be of value for companies that we engage with to strengthen and increase their competitiveness. One of INL’s most important business strategies is to license patents to companies. Some technologies may be explored by INL supported start-ups”, explained the director-general of INL. In 2016 INL expects to continue its strategy to license Intellectual Property and plans to file between 5 and 10 new requests for patents. The INL is an international research organisation dedicated to applied research in Nanotechnology, founded by the governments of Portugal and Spain. INL provides science and innovation and is key to translate knowledge into social and economic benefits through the exploration, deployment and articulation of nanotechnology. INL has […]

Decisions from the first “INL Summit – Scale Travels”

After two days of presentations and parallel sessions filled with interesting discussions the first INL Summit – Scale Travels ended with important decisions and the signing of three cooperation agreements. Soon, INL will initiate the setting up of a new regional coordination body between Galicia and Northern Portugal. The goal is to enable efficient coordination of strategic research and innovation activities among universities, research and technology organisations and regional authorities, including the Municipality of Braga. Company stakeholders and research institutes representatives invited to participate in round table discussion INL agreed to establish a cluster incorporating a novel and innovative methodology to foster the uptake of nanotechnology along the industrial value chains, in order to increase competitiveness and create a new job. On the first day, INL signed three agreements with regional entities, with the purpose to establish close cooperation regarding the promotion, identification, implementation, management and monitoring of actions in the field of nanotechnology and key enabling technologies in the Galician/Northern Region of Portugal.

Brazilian Minister of Science visited INL

The Brazilian Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Aldo Rebelo, visited INL – International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory to analyze the collaboration agenda that Brazil has with the INL. The Brazilian delegation, accompanied by Portugal’s Secretary of State for Science, Leonor Parreira, met with the Director General of INL, Lars Montelius, the Deputy Director General and Scientific Director, Paulo Freitas, and Brazilian researchers who are developing various projects in collaboration with scientists at the INL. INL has already received more than 25 Brazilian researchers from research centers dedicated to research at the nanoscale, from the north to the south of Brazil. Most of the ongoing collaborations are the result of the agreement signed between the CAPES (Ministry of Education of Brazil) and INL, following the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Spain, Portugal and Brazil. “One of the great advantages of this collaboration relates to the complementarity of laboratories. The sharing of knowledge and scientific instruments have allowed important advances in different research projects “, stressed Paulo Freitas «The collaboration with research institutes from Latin American countries is a strategic priority for INL», says the Director General of INL, Lars Montelius, who expects to widen the range of the current agreement with […]