Two key technologies for the 21st century
The EU-funded project 'Merging optics and nanotechnologies' (MONA) has driven forward research in these two key fields by increasing effective investment through the development of a roadmap. The project has three main objectives that involve the development of a site for exchanging research information, promoting results and developing the European roadmap. Gaps between photonics and nanotechnologies research have been bridged to create new functions, materials, fabrication processes and applications thanks to the efforts of MONA. Project partners worked together with relevant industries and regional and national programmes to achieve its aims. Manufacturing challenges were addressed by the project to allow industrial scale, low-cost mass production of these key technologies, which play a vital role in Europe's economic future. This has been aided by improving the transfer of technology from the lab to industry through support from development projects, SMEs, large companies and entrepreneurs. Research efforts were combined in a number of fields to address common challenges facing stakeholders in the area of photonics and nanotechnology. In the case of display and lighting applications, for instance, there is a need to reduce power and meet Kyoto protocol goals. The success of projects like MONA has underpinned EU efforts to become a global leader in photonics and nanotechnology, and to help generate sustainable jobs in the high-tech sector and generally improve the quality of life of EU citizens.
