Nanotechnology can help us find sustainable ways to extract and store energy – for instance through solar cells, efficient energy use in LED lighting and batteries. It is fundamental to developing so-called semiconductors in our data chips and for sensors of various kinds. Nanoscience also provides us with new ways to detect diseases earlier and customise treatment for the individual.
Now Lund has the chance to take on major challenges on the semiconductor front – the expertise and knowledge are available here, and with funding from the EU and Sweden’s innovation agency Vinnova, the region is gathering forces in centres of excellence that bring academia and industry together.
An investment that has been needed for a long time
But more space is needed. The existing lab on Professorsgatan “burst at the seams” already in 2016. The lab is not sufficient – there is a lack of space to develop the lab and install new instruments, which is necessary to remain at the forefront internationally. The new investment is therefore something that has been needed for a long time. With the decision that Vectura will be the landlord, another milestone has been passed to build a new nano lab – where the innovations and research of the future can see the light of day.
Brunnshög in north-east Lund is home to the major research infrastructures in the area, MAX IV and ESS, both of which offer unique world-class opportunities to investigate and analyse materials and molecular matter. Alongside these huge microscopes, a fabrication laboratory is needed for producing nanomaterials and semiconductor devices. The Nanolab Science Village will be the new neighbour in this world-leading research and innovation environment – a meeting place where research, incubators, start-ups, and product development for the industry can all be located in one spot. This proximity can also make it easier for researchers to see the needs of the industry, and show the industry more clearly how it can use nanotechnology research to develop new solutions and, for example, reduce energy consumption.
Here we can conduct cutting-edge research and create an international centre for materials science.
“We are pleased to see Lund University move one step closer to breaking ground for the new nanotechnology laboratory. Here we can conduct cutting-edge research in sustainability and create an international centre for materials science, linking research in physics, chemistry, and biomedicine,” says Erik Renström, Vice-Chancellor of Lund University.
“It will be exciting to work with Vectura, which has profiled itself as a forward-thinking real estate developer in the innovative public sector,” he adds.
Being at the forefront of world-leading facilities
“I am delighted that the project takes a new step forward for our NanoLab and its future development, together with Vectura. Many of the new investments being made in areas such as materials science, green transition, and semiconductor components mean that we need to modernise and develop our infrastructure to be at the forefront of world-leading research facilities,” says Annika Olsson, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Lund University.
“It is with great pleasure that I welcome Nanolab Science Village. The investment in a new lab will create a world-leading environment for research and innovation with the right conditions for the important nanotechnology research. The investment is necessary for Sweden to be strong internationally,” says Joel Ambré, CEO of Vectura.
Anneli Löfgren is the project manager for Nanolab Science Village. She has led the long process of procuring the lab’s landlord and she is very pleased with the result:
“It feels great that the procurement is now completed, making it possible for us to take the next step in the construction process. I look forward to working closely with our landlord Vectura,” she says.
Facts about the Nanolab
The Nanolab Science Village is planned to comprise 5,700 square metres of excellent research infrastructure for micro- and nanotechnology, focusing on materials, structures, and components for advanced research in physics, materials science, nanoscience, chemistry, life sciences, energy and environment, and nanoelectronics. The lab, like its predecessor, will be part of the national research infrastructure Myfab.
The overall objectives of the new facility
- Outstanding educational opportunities for the fabrication of semiconductor devices, as well as micro and nano structures for undergraduate students.
- Open access infrastructure for academia, institutes, and industry.
- Stable and reproducible processes for applied and basic research at the cutting-edge
- Complement and platform for collaboration with MAX IV and ESS by providing an infrastructure to fabricate and examine samples at the micro- and nano-scale.
- Contribute to an innovation environment with active collaboration with industry.
- A lab with built-in flexibility to support dynamic development.
- Design, flows, and construction to provide even safer handling of chemicals and gases. Larger space, higher purity, sufficient access to ventilation, cooling, and electricity, allowing the installation of more modern equipment.
About the procurement
- The procurement was launched in October 2023 under the Public Procurement Act, LOU 2016:1145.
- The construction of the Nanolab Science Village is estimated to cost around SEK 500 million.
- During the procurement process, Lund University has experienced great commitment and interest from all participating parties. Lund University thanks for the great commitment shown to the Nanolab project.
Facts about the landlord
Vectura Fastigheter AB is a property company that focuses on creating innovation clusters in knowledge-intensive environments with close links to both academia and business. The company develops places, environments, and buildings that give people, organisations and companies the conditions to grow and develop. Vectura is a fully owned company of Patricia Industries, which is part of Investor.