What is MaNEP ?
MaNEP is the English acronym for Materials with Novel Electronic Properties.
It is a network of 250 top scientists working in Swiss universities, institutes of technology and industrial laboratories.
MaNEP is part of the NCCR Programme of the Swiss National Science Foundation that was launched in 2001 to promote long-term research projects of strategic importance for the future of Swiss science, economics and society.
Why are new electronic materials so crucial ?
The studied materials present extraordinary physical properties that have been uncovered in the last decades. Understanding and mastering these properties is complex but crucial for 21st Century electronics, as today's (silicon-based) materials often reach their physical limits due to the ongoing quest for miniaturisation, speed and performance.
For instance, superconductors are at the core of :
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Medical equipments like the MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imagery) used in most hospitals today or the new SQUIDs, two technologies that offer incredibly precise diagnose of serious pathologies like epilepsy and cancer. |
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The CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC) that contains thousands of powerful superconducting coils producing strong magnetic fields used as « rails » for the particles. |
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Potential new and more effective ways of producing and transporting electrical energy through superconducting wires and cables. |
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Ultrasensitive sensors and filters required by the telecommunications, energy, transport and environmental sectors. |
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A prototype of new high-speed trains, called Maglev, that levitate above the rails thank to highly powerful superconducting coils. |
Ferroelectrics are at the core of :
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many electronic devices that we rely on, like computers and cellphones. New high-density memories based on ferroelectrics might dramatically increase the capacity of storage units like hards discs and portable memories. |
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