Boosting the scientific excellence and innovation capacity in spintronics of the D. GHITU Institute of Electronic Engineering and Nanotechnologies of the Academy of Science of Moldova

Project Information

SPINTECH

Grant agreement ID: 810144

DOI

10.3030/810144

Project closed

EC signature date 27 June 2018

Start date 1 September 2018

End date 28 February 2022

Funded under

• Twinning of research institutions

Total cost

€ 999 943,75

EU contribution

€ 999 943,75

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA A MOLDOVEI
Moldova

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - SPINTECH (Boosting the scientific excellence and innovation capacity in spintronics of the D. GHITU Institute of Electronic Engineering and Nanotechnologies of the Academy of Science of Moldova)

Reporting period: 2019-12-01 to 2022-02-28

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The overall aim of the SPINTECH project was to boost the scientific excellence and innovation capacity in the field of spintronics – especially in the development of advanced technology for design and production of superconducting spin-valves – of the D. GHITU Institute of Electronic Engineering and Nanotechnologies of the Academy of Science of Moldova (IEEN) and its high-experienced Twinning partners: Stockholm University (SU) and University of Twente (UTWENTE). To achieve this aim during the 3 years of the project, the partners implemented a research and innovation strategy with the following objectives:

• Objective 1: Strengthen IEEN’s research excellence in spintronics
• Objective 2: Enhance the research and innovation capacity of IEEN and the Twinning partners
• Objective 3: Raise the research profile of IEEN and the Twinning Partners
• Objective 4: Contribute to the research and innovation priorities of Moldova
• Objective 5: Support research and innovation on a European level

In order to achieve these objectives, the consortium partners implemented a comprehensive set of measures via the project’s work packages, which included (i) short term staff exchanges (WP1); (ii) training workshops, conferences and summer schools (WP2); and (iii) dissemination and outreach activities (WP3).

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

WP1: Short Term Staff Exchanges
19.9 person-months of visits by IEEN’s experts to SU.
6.27 person-months of visits by SU’s experts to IEEN.
During the visits to SU, IEEN’s experts focused on training on ion-beam lithography and characterisation of superconducting properties of Josephson junctions, and studying stepwise resistive transitions in a zero magnetic field on a multilayer periodic sample. While at IEEN, SU experts received training on advanced vacuum technologies,

20.27 person-months of visits by IEEN’s experts to UTWENTE.
10.13 person-months of visits by UTWENTE’s experts to IEEN.
During the visits to UTWENTE, IEEN’s researchers focused on education in SQUID microscopy. At IEEN, UTWENTE experts received training on advanced vacuum technologies.

WP2: Training Workshops, Conferences and Summer Schools
IEEN hosted the “SPINTECH-NANO-2019: Limits of Nanoscience and Nanotechnologies” in Chișinău (24–27 September 2019). The conference was attended by 130+ participants from 14 countries: Sweden, Moldova, Netherlands, France, Israel, Great Britain, Ukraine, Poland, USA, Belarus, Russia, Romania, Switzerland and Germany. Also, IEEN hosted the "12th International Conference on Intrinsic Effects and Horizons of Superconducting Spintronics" in Chișinău (22-25 September 2021), which brought together leading experts from 16 countries: Japan, USA, Germany, France, Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, UK, Spain, China, South Korea. Furthermore, the consortium partners have presented at 23 international conferences.

The consortium partners held seven summer/winter schools (3 x IEEN; 2 x SU; 2 x UTWENTE) and twelve training workshops.

WP3: Dissemination and Outreach
The project website (https://www.h2020-spintech.eu/) became available in September 2018. A project poster, leaflet and newsletter was produced.

The consortium partners held four press conferences and appeared in four TV documentaries.

The consortium partners visited two schools and held two public open-days.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The expected potential impacts targeted by the SPINTECH project were the following:

Impact 1: Increased research excellence of IEEN in spintronics
Impact 2: Enhancement of reputation, attractiveness and networking channels of IEEN
Impact 3: Improved capability to compete successfully for national, EU and internationally competitive research funding
Impact 4: Contribution to the research and innovation priorities of Moldova through development of spintronics applications

Over the course of the project, the main impacts can be qualitatively summarised as follows:

1. Thanks to the experience gained during the project implementation, SPINTECH prepared and submitted a new HORIZON-2020 project: Twinning for Smart Environmental Monitoring Systems (Proposal acronym: SEMS, Proposal ID: 52270, Call: H2020-WIDESPREAD-2020-5). Submitted by Anatolie Sidorenko, IEEN in November 2019.
2. Prof. A. Sidorenko edited and published in “SPRINGER” book “Functional Nanostructures and Sensors for CBRN Defence and Environmental Safety and Security”. During his staff-exchange visit in UTWENTE he wrote together with prof. A.Golubov one chapter for that book with acknowledgements to SPINTECH project, the book is published in 2020 (365 pages, Publication date 13 Feb 2020, Publisher Springer, 130 Illustrations, colour; 74 Illustrations, black and white; ISBN10 940241911X; ISBN13 9789402419115)
3. Publication of proceedings of SPINTECH NANO-2019 conference and Summer School as special volume of Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology (IF-2.27) the editor A. Sidorenko, the title “"Functional nanostructures for electronics, spintronics and sensors", webpage of the volume: https://www.beilstein-journals.org/bjnano/series/81.
4. The progress of IEEN during the first half period of the project consist of obtaining a very important new knowledge, increasing the technological level of the Institute: 5 persons of IEEN worked in SU and gained experience to work in the research complex “Clean room”, two persons ( R.Morari and V.Boian) learned in details the advanced method and installation for ion-beam lithography for precise nanofabrication of samples, two persons (A.Sidorenko and A.Prepelita) learned the low-temperature research complex “Oxford Instruments” for investigation of the superconducting parameters of Josephson junctions . Two persons (A.Sidorenko and E.Antropov) worked in UTWENTE and learned in details the advanced method and equipment “SQUID Microscopy”. As the result of the first half period of the project, IEEN has now 2 skilled operators of the equipment “Ion-beam photolithography” and two skilled operators of SQUID Microscopy.
5. Prior to the project, the average H-index of the in 2017 measured at 12 for the project coordinator, acad. Anatolie Sidorenko. Since the start of the SPINTECH project, his H-index has increased significantly to 21 (2022).

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