The Nano and Quantum Photonics disciplinary cluster comprises four very strong research groups - Advanced Nanomaterials and Devices (AND), Molecular Materials and Nanosystems (M2N), Photonics and Semiconductor Nanophysics (PSN), and Physics of Nanostructures (FNA) - with scientific foci that span the range from fundamental studies of novel physical, photonic, electronic and magnetic properties of nano- and molecular-scale materials to applied nanoscience and novel devices.
Research Quality
The scientific themes addressed in this cluster are valued of a very high scientific quality, with some aspects ranked as being very good and others clearly having a world leading character. The scientific output of all four groups in the NQP cluster is of a very high scientific quality. This opinion is evidenced by the large number of publications in top-tier journals that have significant visibility and impact.
Relevance for Society
The research themes addressed by the NQP cluster have particularly strong societal relevance in the areas of Energy and Sustainability, Photonics and (iii) Novel Information Technologies. For example, the AND group has a dual focus on energy science / sustainability and emergent quantum information technologies; the M2N group is strongly active in the area of solar cells and fuels and the PSN group performs research that is highly relevant to next generation integrated photonics, including optical interconnects and low energy optical switching. The research themes explored by FNA enable disruptive solutions for memory and logic, such as magnetic racetrack memory based on current-driven motion of information along magnetic nanowires in a 3D architecture with optical control