We have recruited in time all Early Stage Researchers. All PhD projects started in 2018. QuESTech has trained 15 ESRs, who stayed throughout the project’s duration, through research in the sub-fields of spintronics, single-electronics, quantum dots, and quantum thermodynamics.
The project website https:/www.questech.org is public. The website will be maintained for at least two more years (and longer if judged useful).
We organized the summer schools ESONN’18,ESONN'19, ESONN'20 and ESONN'21.
The first Special Training Session on scientific presentation took place in San Sebastian, Spain. The second Special Training Session on scientific writing was organised in Konstanz, Germany. The third Special Training Session focused on Interpersonal communication at work; Gender equality in science careers; and Career prospects for scientists in the private sector, and was held in Grenoble, France. The last Special Training Session took place online because of travel restrictions. It was organised by Aalto University and QTF Finland and treated IPR and entrepreneurship.
There have been 45 publications so far. They are all in open access.
During the first reporting period, we have submitted 24 deliverables and we have reached 13 milestones. During the second reporting period we have submitted the remaining deliverables and reached the last two milestones.
All tasks have been addressed.
The most important innovative elements for the project have been obtained.
First, the calorimetric detection of a single microwave photon has been a breakthrough in quantum sensing of quantum bits (Aalto press releases in January and June 2020).
Second, a novel technology for the growth of graphene on h-BN over a full 4" wafer was developed. Its exploitation is planned by Graphenea.
Third, a new mask-free method to pattern metallic nanowires with good transport properties was achieved in tungsten nanowires.
Concerning the self-powered organic spintronic device with concomitant photoelectric effect: the commercialization of the devices seems premature at this stage as we have only demonstrated the effect in laboratory conditions, but appropriate measures are being studied towards filling intellectual protection of the ideas developed under this project.
