NanoCharM

[NanoCharM, a Coordination and Support Action funded by the EU is notable for two ‘firsts’. Not only was it the first to be signed under the EU's Seventh Framework Programme, with a start date of January 1st 2008, but was also the highest ranked CSA project to be approved.]

The NanoCharM project, or to give it its full title ‘Multifunctional NanoMaterials Characterization exploiting Ellipsometry and Polarimetry’ will promote and develop the use of non-destructive characterization of nanomaterials using polarimetry and ellipsometry techniques.

The project ‘kicked off’ at a meeting of the partners on the 8th February in the Italian CNR offices in Brussels (see photo). The NanoCharM partners represent some of Europe’s most prestigious organizations in the field of nanoparticles characterization and include:

Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche-IMIP (CNR-IMIP) Italy; Centre National de la Richerche
Scientifique (CNRS), France; Johannes Kepler Universitaet Linz (JKU), Austria; Institute for
Analytical Sciences, Department Berlin (ISAS), Germany; Masarykova Univerzita (MU), Czech
Republic; Institute of Physics (IF), Serbia; Horiba Jovin Yvon S.A.S. (HJY), France;
and The Institute of Nanotechnology (IoN), UK, which will act as the interface between the project and its industrial and academic beneficiaries.

What does the NanoCharM project mean for Europe?

The global demand for nanomaterials is expected to reach US$3.7 billion this year alone (2008), driven mainly by nanoscale metals and oxides. European developers and users of nanomaterials will be constrained by bottlenecks in characterization techniques, many of which are slow, expensive and inefficient. NanoCharM will coordinate and strengthen European competence in the field of non-destructive and non-invasive characterization of multifunctional nanomaterials, with special emphasis on spectroscopic ellipsometry and polarimetry optical tools. It will facilitate communication between research groups and those industries fabricating nanomaterials, including the life sciences / biotechnology, nanoelectronics and semiconductor industries, leading to even better techniques. Dr Maria Losurdo, the project co-ordinator, commented: "Characterization of nanoparticles and nanomaterials is absolutely fundamental to European success in this field, and I am delighted to say that in NanoCharM we have brought together a world class consortium of experts that will provide European companies with the leading-edge tools they need to succeed in this globally important and competitive market".

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