Nano & Quantum Theme Overview
The Nano and Quantum Research Theme vision is to demonstrate compact, energy efficient components and sub-systems for imaging, sensing, power management, computation, and communications by engineering functionality of materials at the atomic scale, with levels of robustness that enable the realisation of highly integrated solutions at the wafer scale. In this theme, we are pioneering technology across length-scales from nanometres to centimetres, and detecting and controlling signals for applications spanning single photon detection, to kiloVolt power switching.
Energy efficient transistor research encompasses experimental and theoretical work for low loss electricity distribution, semiconductor memory and fundamental current standards definition. Advanced photonics work covers single photon detection, highly integrated optoelectronics and mid-infrared sensing for environmental monitoring, and biomedical and healthcare applications. 
Quantum technologies including atomic clocks and quantum navigators are being exploited for practical gravity sensing for oil and gas detection, security monitoring and improved utility maintenance, as well as high resolution neurological magnetic imaging.
This work is being undertaken by multidisciplinary teams across the College in the Schools of Engineering, Physics and Astronomy and Chemistry, leveraging capabilities in which the University has committed to invest in excess of £20M over the next decade, including the Quantic Hub, the James Watt Nanofabrication Centre, The Kelvin Nanocharacterisation Centre and the Centre of Excellence for Sensors and Imaging Systems. Much of the above work is being done in collaboration with the Universities of Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt, Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, Oxford, Sheffield, Southampton, Strathclyde and Sussex, and over 40 national and international industrial partners.
Related Research
Key Projects
Programmable 'Digital' Synthesis for Discovery & Scale-up of Molecules, Clusters & Nanomaterials: http://www.chem.gla.ac.uk/cronin/research/
Very recently we have started to explore the development of configurable chemical-robotic platforms for the discovery, optimisation, scale-up and control of syntheses using a range of approaches including flow systems, 3D printing and hybrid robotic platforms. While a number of leading groups internationally and in the UK are aiming to develop new approaches to the optimisation of chemical synthesis, we wish to take the idea a stage further and develop an integrated platform for the discovery of molecular entities (initially focussing on inorganics) and then assess their 'fitness' according to user needs to construct a new library of programmable chemical building blocks leading to new systems that can be rapidly manufactured and tested in a range of application areas.
This programme grant from EPSRC aims to develop a new synthetic chemistry and engineering platform for the discovery of molecules, clusters and nanomaterials using an integrated hybrid chemo-robotic system integrating wetware (chemical reagents), hardware (reactors and sensors) and software (intelligent algorithms).