Nanoscale Advanced Materials Engineering (with a focus on Quantum Technologies)

Synopsis

The development of Nanoscale Advanced Materials Engineering (NAME) through the use of focused ion beams has accelerated significantly in recent years. This has been driven the development of new tools for this purpose and by the need to engineer the functionality of (nano)materials on nanometre length scales. Within this talk a review of the state-of-the-art of the work delivered by the ~£10M NAME Programme Grant will be provided, alongside its relationship to capability requirements outlined within international roadmaps (https://doi.org/10.1002/adem.202300889). Specific examples of novel research on nanoscale materials, and materials for quantum technologies, will be provided. These include the ability to dope photonic structures and materials (e.g. lithium niobate), create colour centres in diamond (https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2409.07421), and to perform isotopic enrichment of silicon (https://doi.org/10.1038/s43246-024-00498-0). Prospects for future research directions will be discussed alongside the major challenges that these present.

Prof Richard Curry is the Faculty of Science and Engineering Vice-Dean (Research & Innovation) at the University of Manchester and co-leader of the UK EPSRC Materials for Quantum Network (M4QN). His research interests are based around the study and development of new photonic materials and devices and doped solid-state materials for quantum technologies. He is the principal investigator of a portfolio of several research grants including the EPSRC Programme Grant 'Nanoscale Advanced Materials Engineering', and maintains a strong set of national and international collaborations and contributes to policy discussion around the areas of advanced materials, semiconductors and quantum technologies.