As a rechargeable energy source lithium ion batteries (LIB) with a solid-state electrolyte is a highly desired option compared to LIB with liquid electrolytes due to several advantages, such as improved safety and extended lifetime, in addition to enabling devices with both high energy and power densities. However, despite an extensive research effort in this field development of all-solid-state batteries have not yet started to reached its full potential, largely because of the lack of suitable electrolyte candidate materials that offers both high ionic conductivity and good electrochemical stability. We propose, within SUPER-Lion, the use of a novel nano composite electrolyte (NCE) that would enable solid-state LIB to reach their full potential, achieving both high ionic conductivities, combined with good mechanical and electrochemical stability. The NCE consists of a nanoporous insulator that provides both mechanical stability and a high effective internal surface area. The internal surface of the nanoporous matrix is coated with nanometer thin layers of a lithium salt that supply the necessary Li+ ions. The enhanced ion transport at the interface between the surface of the insulator and the lithium salt is exploited to make a NCE with high ion conductivity. By exploiting the effect of nanoconfinment the ionic conductivity of such interfaces can be enhanced by several orders of magnitude through an effect described as superionic transitions. The NCE will be manufactured through the combination of atomic layer deposition (ALD) and molecular layer deposition (MLD). Due to the self-limiting nature of the ALD/MLD technique it is perfect for deposition of thin layers where uniformity, subatomic thickness control and high quality films are of utter most importance. The ALD/MLD technique also enables the NCE to be deposited on 3D structured electrodes with high aspect ratios, thus enabling a further increase in the power and energy density of all-solid state batteries.

The surge in electronic equipment used daily across the globe, from end-user devices to data centres, has led to a craving for more energy-efficient computing devices. However, the current Moore’s Law epitomised miniaturisation process of CMOS transistors will be gradually limited by increasing power densities and associated chip heating. Therefore, much research has been devoted to the development of alternative computing devices. Spintronic devices, which exploit both the charge and the spin of electrons, are seen as a promising beyond-CMOS approach due to their ultralow energy per operation, non-volatility, and capability to build more expressive logic gates. Despite much recent success in realizing spintronic logic gates such as those that employ magnetic domain walls or spin waves as information carriers, there are two major limitations that impede the inclusion of such devices in microelectronic technologies. The first is the lack of energy-efficient transducers for interconversion of signals between the magnetic and electrical domains. The second issue is the inability to propagate magnetic information carriers over large distances in the magnetic domain, i.e., the lack of magnetic interconnect. To address these challenges, we propose a novel spin logic device concept (ALLME) based on layered strain-mediated magnetoelectric composites containing both piezoelectric and magnetostrictive materials. By exploiting its magnetoelectric effect, the magnetisation in a nanomagnet can be rotated with voltages, and in the inverse effect, the change in magnetisation will result in a voltage output. ALLME aims to deliver one of the most technologically competitive spin logic concepts, with an emphasis on ultra-low energy consumption and all charge-based interconnects that are readily to be cascaded in complex logic circuits, to solve the long-standing challenges in spin logic.

High-throughput next-generation sequencing has revolutionized healthcare. Nevertheless, widespread adoption remains hindered by a trade-off between clinically relevant turnaround times and cost-effectiveness. This trade-off arises from the limitations of sequencing-by-synthesis (SBS) chemistry and traditional optical readout architectures. To address this, integrated parallel readout on a CMOS imager is the preferred technology – as opposed to free space microscope scanners. However, size and number of pixels pose a critical limit on throughput. A novel technology developed in the IROCSIM ERC StG presents a unique solution by enabling sub-pixel resolution readout, leading to orders of magnitude increase in read density per pixel—unlocking the 1 billion-plus reads range. It monolithically integrates an imager with filters and photonic-integrated-circuit-generated, IP protected, structured illumination patterns. This project aims to demonstrate the commercial and technical potential of this technology for sequencing applications. This innovation could be a fundamental breakthrough in a longstanding bottleneck in sequencing products.

Today’s quantum computers are suffering from a very high error rate due to decoherence (i.e. loss of quantum information) in their qubits fabricated with superconductors junctions or semiconductors quantum dots. The goal of this proposal is to research radically new materials and architectures to build a “fault-tolerant” qubit device on Silicon substrate (i.e. scalable), that will be immune to decoherence problems. In NOTICE, we will design and synthetize novel crystalline perovskite materials, monolithically integrated on a Silicon substrate, with topological insulating properties to enable the generation of Majorana fermions at the heterointerface with a superconductor. The generated Majorana fermions will hold the quantum information in such “Majorana qubit” which will be resistant to noises and fluctuations due to the topology effect if stable and robust materials presenting the desired properties can be obtained. Bismuth-based perovskites were down-selected as topological insulator (BaBi(O,F)3) and superconductor ((Ba,K)BiO3) oxides due to the very strong Spin Orbit Coupling present in Bi which will favorize the efficient generation of Majorana fermions at the perfect (pristine) BaBi(O,F)3/(Ba,K)BiO3 heterointerface. With Molecular Beam Epitaxy growth approach together with advanced characterization techniques such as Angle-Resolved PhotoEmission Spectroscopy measurements and ab-initio simulations on the topological insulating properties of the perovskites, we aim to generate a stable topological interface leading to the efficient generation of Majorana fermions. This breakthrough will enable us to fabricate chiral Majorana devices on a Silicon technology platform, providing both reliability and manufacturing scalability. NOTICE results will pave the way to “fault-tolerant” qubit, bringing a paradigm shift in quantum computing by reducing drastically the gap between logical and physical qubits and the need for quantum error correction algorithms.

Thin film (TF) photovoltaics (PV) hold high potential for Building Integrated PV, an important market as European buildings require to be nearly zero-energy by 2020. Currently, Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 (= CIGS(e)) TF solar cells have high efficiency, but also a simple one-dimensional cell design with stability and reliability concerns. Furthermore, its present research has been mainly focused on improving the absorber and buffer layers. Scientifically, Uniting PV aims to study the practical boundaries of CIGS(e) TF solar cell efficiency. For that reason, its goal is to revolutionize the design of CIGS(e) solar cells through implementation of advanced three-dimensional silicon (Si) solar cell concepts. This novel design consists of (i) surface passivation layers and (ii) light management methods integrated into ultra-thin (UT) CIGS(e) solar cells: (i) Passivation layers will be studied to reduce charge carrier recombination at CIGS(e) surfaces. The aim is to create new understanding and thus scientific models. (ii) Light management methods will be studied to optimize optical confinement in UT CIGS(e) layers. The aim is to examine the interaction between light management and charge carrier recombination in UT CIGS(e), and to create scientific models. The main reasons to introduce these developments is to reduce charge carrier recombination at the CIGS(e) surfaces and in the CIGS(e) bulk, while maintaining optical confinement. Technologically, the project targets to establish a solar cell with: (1) Increased cell efficiency, at least 23.0 % and up to 26.0 %; (2) improved stability and reliability, due to reduced CIGS(e) thickness and passivation layers hindering alkali metal movement; and (3) reduced cost, due to the use of less Ga and In, and industrially viable materials, methods and equipment. Hence, its outcome will be upscalable, valuable for other TF PV materials, and start a new wave of innovation in and collaboration between TF and Si PV research fields.