The magnetic field is a powerful thermodynamic parameter to influence the state of any material system and such is an outstanding experimental tool for physics. To go beyond the conventional commercially available superconducting (SC) magnets, very large infrastructures such as the ones gathered within the European Magnetic Field Laboratory (EMLFL) are necessary. EMFL provides access to static resistive magnets (up to 38 T) and pulsed non-destructive (up to 100 T) and semi-destructive (up to 200 T) magnets for all qualified European researchers. Some recent advances open the way for the implementation of high temperature superconductor (HTS) magnets at the EMFL facilities. The SuperEMFL design study aims to add through the development of the HTS technology an entirely new dimension to the EMFL that go beyond the commercial offer, providing the European high field user community with much higher SC fields and novel SC magnet geometries, like large-bore-high-flux magnets or radial access magnets. The development of SC magnets that can partly replace current high-field resistive magnets will result in a significant reduction of the energy consumption of the static field EMFL facilities. This will strongly improve EMFL’s financial and ecological sustainability and at the same time boost its scientific performance and impact. The high field values, the very low noise and vibration levels, and the possibility to run very long duration experiments will make high SC magnetic fields attractive to scientific communities that so far have rarely used the EMFL facilities (NMR, scanning probe, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies, ultra-low temperature physics, electro-chemistry …). All these new research possibilities will strengthen the scientific performance, efficiency and attractiveness of the EMFL and thereby of the European Research Area (ERA). The implementation of this strategy should therefore be considered as a major upgrade of the EMFL.

Micro- and nanofabrication represents important mainstream manufacturing processes across several industrial fast-growing sectors, such as MEMS & sensors, optics & photonics, RF devices, semiconductors, printed electronics, which in turn are significant building blocks in e.g. advanced healthtech, biotech, cleantech, and electronics. Yet, to improve the market stance, the micro-/nanofabrication sector is looking for solutions able to reduce costs and time spent on the prototyping and fabrication process, as well as more flexible, efficient and sustainable solutions, able to utilize a broader range of materials permitting custom-built components. While the most promising technology to address these challenges is found in the 3D printing market, there are currently no available 3D printers or technologies with the capabilities to address these challenges. To this purpose, ATL (DK) has developed the ATLANT3D Nanofabricator, a 3D nanoprinting technology with improved resolution and flexibility, while costing less 27% than the closest 3D printing competitor, and up to 92% less than conventional competitors. It will enable rapid prototyping, shorter time to market and lower barriers for companies and researchers already working in this field, as well as those for whom micro-/nanoprototyping is currently not feasible. The overall aim of ATOPLOT project is to mature, extend capabilities and prove full functionality and benefits of the ATLANT3D Nanofabricator. ATOPLOT brings together a consortium of three SMEs (ATL, FEM, SEMPA) and two academic partners (FAU, SAS) – in unison representing a technical side specialized in nanofabrication, and a business side with experience in business development and B2B sales & marketing. The consortium expects a successful market introduction of the Nanofabricator within the next 3 years, tapping into a large business opportunity, from which the partners stand to capture more than 400M€ as profit and directly creating 165+ new jobs.

Particle accelerators are a key asset of the European Research Area. Their use spans from the large installations devoted to fundamental science to a wealth of facilities providing X-ray or neutron beams to a wide range of scientific disciplines. Beyond scientific laboratories, their use in medicine and industry is rapidly growing. Notwithstanding their high level of maturity, particle accelerators are now facing critical challenges related to the size and performance of the facilities envisaged for the next step of particle physics research, to the increasing demands to accelerators for applied science, and to the specific needs of societal applications. In this crucial moment for accelerator evolution, I.FAST aims at enhancing innovation in and from accelerator-based Research Infrastructures (RI) by developing innovative breakthrough technologies common to multiple accelerator platforms, and by defining strategic roadmaps for future developments. I.FAST will focus the technological R&D on long-term sustainability of accelerator-based research, with the goal of developing more performant and affordable technologies, and of reducing power consumption and impact of accelerator facilities, thus paving the way to a sustainable next-generation of accelerators. By involving industry as a co-innovation partner via the 17 industrial companies in the Consortium, 12 of which SME’s, I.FASTwill generate and maintain an innovation ecosystem around the accelerator-based RIs that will sustain the long-term evolution of accelerator technologies in Europe. To achieve its goals, I.FAST will explore new alternative accelerator concepts and promote advanced prototyping of key technologies. These include, among others, techniques to increase brightness and reduce dimensions of synchrotron light sources, advanced superconducting technologies to produce higher fields with lower consumption, and strategies and technologies to improve energy efficiency.