Periodic Reporting for period 3 - EMP (European Microkelvin Platform)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2022-01-01 al 2023-12-31
The European Microkelvin Platform (EMP) is a consortium of 8 leading European ultralow- temperature laboratories and 9 technology partners and companies with the central goal of investigating and exploiting technology and materials which benefit from ultra-cold temperatures.
The environment of ultralow temperatures, where the thermal energy, or heat, is so small that the quantum nature of materials becomes evident on large scales. A well-known example is superconductivity. This is a state of matter, only occurring at very low temperatures, where currents in certain superconducting metals flow without resistance. This field already has large societal impacts, being used for power generation, commodity searches, transportation, and medical imaging to just name a few. Superconductivity is only one well-known example of the many extraordinary states of matter which uniquely occur at ultralow temperatures with the potential to impact everyday life by leading to novel technologies which can hardly even be envisioned today.
The overall objectives of the consortium have been to enhance and widen the integration of the leading ultralow temperature facilities in Europe under the umbrella of the European Microkelvin Platform which has led to strengthening Europe’s international leadership in ultralow temperature studies and technology. The ultralow temperatures labs of EMP opened their doors for all European researchers across the disciplines from academic institutions and companies that work on related problems and have not available the specific environments EMP can provide.
Combined, the EMP labs offered the most comprehensive portfolio of cryogenic facilities worldwide. Numerus users have applied for measuring time at EMP labs to pursue their own scientific ideas and projects. Each individual user project has been supported by EMP staff and scientists to ensure efficient and successful execution. Together with the EMP technology partners, the EMP labs carried out a targeted research programme that enhanced the capabilities for access and led to the exploitation of any technology that has been developed within the EMP programme. Scientific exchange and training of technical staff and young scientists were made available by conducting user meetings and topical summer schools.
The scientific community and the general public have been addressed and informed about the scientific goals and outcomes of the research programme carried out by EMP through a broad set of dissemination activities, like talks and presentations at conferences and public events, social media activities, press releases, TV and radio appearances, kids and student workshops, open lab nights, educational videos, and science shows.
The overall conclusions of this project are extremely positive in all aspects of the program. Not only have numerous projects been carried out at EMP by external user groups, which have led to important results ranging from fundamental physics to the development of quantum technology, but the impact of the EMP on the research landscape and the public has also been measurably strong. Reports on the results of the EMP have reached over 400 million people worldwide.
The environment of ultralow temperatures, where the thermal energy, or heat, is so small that the quantum nature of materials becomes evident on large scales. A well-known example is superconductivity. This is a state of matter, only occurring at very low temperatures, where currents in certain superconducting metals flow without resistance. This field already has large societal impacts, being used for power generation, commodity searches, transportation, and medical imaging to just name a few. Superconductivity is only one well-known example of the many extraordinary states of matter which uniquely occur at ultralow temperatures with the potential to impact everyday life by leading to novel technologies which can hardly even be envisioned today.
The overall objectives of the consortium have been to enhance and widen the integration of the leading ultralow temperature facilities in Europe under the umbrella of the European Microkelvin Platform which has led to strengthening Europe’s international leadership in ultralow temperature studies and technology. The ultralow temperatures labs of EMP opened their doors for all European researchers across the disciplines from academic institutions and companies that work on related problems and have not available the specific environments EMP can provide.
Combined, the EMP labs offered the most comprehensive portfolio of cryogenic facilities worldwide. Numerus users have applied for measuring time at EMP labs to pursue their own scientific ideas and projects. Each individual user project has been supported by EMP staff and scientists to ensure efficient and successful execution. Together with the EMP technology partners, the EMP labs carried out a targeted research programme that enhanced the capabilities for access and led to the exploitation of any technology that has been developed within the EMP programme. Scientific exchange and training of technical staff and young scientists were made available by conducting user meetings and topical summer schools.
The scientific community and the general public have been addressed and informed about the scientific goals and outcomes of the research programme carried out by EMP through a broad set of dissemination activities, like talks and presentations at conferences and public events, social media activities, press releases, TV and radio appearances, kids and student workshops, open lab nights, educational videos, and science shows.
The overall conclusions of this project are extremely positive in all aspects of the program. Not only have numerous projects been carried out at EMP by external user groups, which have led to important results ranging from fundamental physics to the development of quantum technology, but the impact of the EMP on the research landscape and the public has also been measurably strong. Reports on the results of the EMP have reached over 400 million people worldwide.
Over the reporting period, we received many user proposals. The proposals were scientifically evaluated by an independent panel of experts and 115 were selected and laboratory time was assigned to carry out each specific project at an appropriate EMP laboratory. Once allocated, preparatory work performed together with the local EMP staff at the site selected, began for each user project following which the actual scientific measurements were started. Most notably, all the technical capabilities requested by users were provided, and all facilities operated flawlessly.
In addition, joint research activities within the EMP have been conducted on all planned topics, which include advancing to even lower temperatures, establishing new thermometry in unchartered territory, exploiting quantum technology for ultrasensitive measuring devices, advancing nanoscience capabilities at ultralow temperatures and probing quantum materials at the lowest temperatures. In this part of the program, new on-chip cooling techniques have been devised and refined to cool nano-devices to the lowest temperatures ever reached (a field where Europe has an established lead). At the same time, on-chip thermometry has been pushed to new frontiers, achieving record speed and accuracy. Several new devices based on quantum technology have been developed, enabling ultra-sensitive energy detection, magnetic flux measurement and amplification at the quantum limit to name just a few.
A very important component of the program comprised the innovation projects, which are carried out in partnership between academic institutions and companies. These have been initiated to maximize the results of the EMP research and to expedite bringing to market new products based on the technology arising from the program as quickly as possible. These new products include new high-resolution thermometry, new robust cryogenic platforms, new low-noise IV converters and amplifiers. The consortium has launched at the beginning of the program its first new spin-off company, "Basel Scientific Instruments" from Basel University. The success of several of their new instruments exceeded all expectations throughout the project.
In order to inform both the scientific community and the general public about the results of the EMP and to promote further education and awareness of physics issues and science in general, EMP has conducted a comprehensive dissemination and communication programme aimed at scientists and interested individuals and groups of all ages of the general public.
In addition, joint research activities within the EMP have been conducted on all planned topics, which include advancing to even lower temperatures, establishing new thermometry in unchartered territory, exploiting quantum technology for ultrasensitive measuring devices, advancing nanoscience capabilities at ultralow temperatures and probing quantum materials at the lowest temperatures. In this part of the program, new on-chip cooling techniques have been devised and refined to cool nano-devices to the lowest temperatures ever reached (a field where Europe has an established lead). At the same time, on-chip thermometry has been pushed to new frontiers, achieving record speed and accuracy. Several new devices based on quantum technology have been developed, enabling ultra-sensitive energy detection, magnetic flux measurement and amplification at the quantum limit to name just a few.
A very important component of the program comprised the innovation projects, which are carried out in partnership between academic institutions and companies. These have been initiated to maximize the results of the EMP research and to expedite bringing to market new products based on the technology arising from the program as quickly as possible. These new products include new high-resolution thermometry, new robust cryogenic platforms, new low-noise IV converters and amplifiers. The consortium has launched at the beginning of the program its first new spin-off company, "Basel Scientific Instruments" from Basel University. The success of several of their new instruments exceeded all expectations throughout the project.
In order to inform both the scientific community and the general public about the results of the EMP and to promote further education and awareness of physics issues and science in general, EMP has conducted a comprehensive dissemination and communication programme aimed at scientists and interested individuals and groups of all ages of the general public.
The EMP programme has largely been concerned with carrying nanoscience down into the milli- and microkelvin region, with numerous work packages, many leading to new electronic and sensor devices to be operated at the lowest possible temperatures. These are important contributions in the development of quantum computers where lower temperatures and quieter environments are the secrets for longer coherence times. Major progress has been made in the development and understanding of nano-mechanical devices and novel quantum sensors. In addition, new approaches and measurement methods have led to numerous discoveries of new phenomena in quantum materials.
In these frontier activities, we have been developing the technological tools of the future. The potential of these activities covers all the aspirations of the EU Horizon 2020 programme: Health, Food, Energy, Transport, Climate and Resources, and Secure Societies. The societal impact will come down the line with the putting of our technology to use. We are providing the tools. The next wave of medical technologists, the quantum computing engineers, the quantum cryptographers, and the remote sensing experts will be the ones to make use of them and put them at the service of mankind.
In these frontier activities, we have been developing the technological tools of the future. The potential of these activities covers all the aspirations of the EU Horizon 2020 programme: Health, Food, Energy, Transport, Climate and Resources, and Secure Societies. The societal impact will come down the line with the putting of our technology to use. We are providing the tools. The next wave of medical technologists, the quantum computing engineers, the quantum cryptographers, and the remote sensing experts will be the ones to make use of them and put them at the service of mankind.