The entities involved in the European PHEMTRONICS project have recently held an online kick-off meeting of this programme, within the European Commission's H2020 FET-OPEN call, which addresses the challenges of starting a new era in the fields of mobile communications, as well as supporting research and innovation projects on new future technologies.

During the project kick-off meeting, the partners discussed their objectives and the expectations of the different stakeholders on the outcome of the project, and prepared a detailed framework of activities including not only pure research but also training courses, dissemination of the results and evaluation of the activities.

In particular, Fernando Moreno, from FOTOGLASS and responsible for the project at the UC, introduced the members of the Optics group who will participate and outlined the basic elements of their contribution, "consisting fundamentally in the design of the different optical elements that we want to address based on the materials proposed in this research, especially Gallium and its combinations with others that present phase changes in the visible and infrared range, such as chalcogenide compounds with elements of the oxygen column of the periodic table, such as selenium and tellurium".

Maria Losurdo, Research Director at the Institute of Nanotechnology - CNR, Bari (Italy) and project coordinator, explained the expected impact of PHEMTRONICS: 'We are shaping the transition from nanoscale technology to the future of femtoscale optical communication and computing; the challenge is to provide a pervasive cognitive environment to continuously reinvent ourselves through the applications of exciting future technologies that merge all the knowledge we have acquired in optics, photonics, plasmonics and new materials.

This project addresses optical computing, ultrafast athermal switching for neuromorphic computing, tunable nanopixel displays, trying to cover the whole chain, from a new class of phase-shifting plasmonic materials, to fabrication, design, modelling tools and integration into new optical device architectures.

Within this context, the overall goal is to offer innovative ultrafast light-induced phase-shift 'switches', dynamically reconfigurable antennas and adaptive switchable multiband detectors that overcome current speed, power and frequency paradigms.

Our expert explains the Nobel Prize to scientists Arthur Ashkin, Gérard Mourou and Donna Strickland

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics to the American Arthur Ashkin, the Frenchman Gérard Mourou and the Canadian Donna Strickland for their work on developing tools based on light.

According to Fotoglass expert and UC professor Fernando Moreno, "what unites the prize for all three researchers is that they have been able to demonstrate that light can be a tool". Moreno explains the award criteria and gives us an insight into these three scientists and the significance of their findings.

Professor Fernando Moreno comments on this in the following vide

UC researcher wins Iberdrola Foundation award for improving the efficiency of solar cells

Ángela Barreda will develop her project in the group of Fernando Moreno and Francisco González

UC researcher wins Iberdrola Foundation award for improving the efficiency of solar cellsÁngela Barreda will develop her project in the group of Fernando Moreno and Francisco González The PhD student at the University of Cantabria Ángela Inmaculada Barreda Gómez will develop the project "Improving the energy efficiency of solar cells through the use of nanometric-sized dielectric structures.

This is the second grant that Barreda has received from the Foundation to continue advancing in this project, which began in the 2015-2016 academic year. Originating in the thesis that he is developing within the Optics Group (Department of Applied Physics), he will carry out the research under the supervision of professors Fernando Moreno and Francisco González.

The aim is to continue research on the control of the directionality of the electromagnetic radiation diffused by small dielectric particles of high refractive index, such as silicon, germanium and other semiconductor compounds in the near infrared, and to take advantage of this control to improve the capture of light by photosensitive plates and therefore their energy yield.

In the previous project, the influence of the morphology of these particles when deposited on these plates was extensively studied and it was found that their efficiency could be increased by around 6%.

The recently awarded project aims to make experimental advances in collaboration with the Fresnel Institute in Marseille (France) and to make concrete practical proposals for further development in engineering.

The Foundation's support is not only financial, but also allows the selected person to manage a research project as principal investigator, with the usefulness that this entails in his or her training as a Doctor.

Textil Santanderina and the University of Cantabria, led by Fotoglass consultants, presented this morning the Wondrous® high luminosity technical fabric, which maintains its high visibility properties after 30 washes and also has long-lasting phosphorescence. It is the result of a joint research project carried out over a period of twelve months.

The press conference, which took place in the auditorium of the University of Cantabria, was attended by the Rector José Carlos Gómez Sal; the CEO of Textil Santanderina, Juan Parés Boj; the scientific advisor of Fotoglass and leader of the Optics research group, Fernando Moreno Gracia, and Juan Marcos Sanz Casado, head of R+D+i of the textile company.

INNOVATION

The main novelty of Wondrous® is, as Sanz Casado explained, that it maintains phosphorescence for more than 120 minutes even after 30 washing cycles, regardless of the composition of the fabric.

The resulting fabric therefore has the ability to emit light when subjected to constant light stimulus, i.e. for very short periods of time, and the ability to emit long-lasting phosphorescence in the absence of light stimulus. In addition, the starting fabrics maintain their mechanical properties, good feel, flexibility, comfort and breathability and maintain their thermal characteristics, as well as high visibility, where applicable.

Wondrous® can be used in various fields such as safety, domestic, sports, health and others.

It can be used for the manufacture of any type of article without any limitation (waistcoats, overalls, aprons, gowns, sportswear...) The product that is ready for commercialisation is developed following the "Procedure for the manufacture of long-lasting phosphorescent fabrics and fabrics obtained from the same", patented by Textil Santanderina and the University of Cantabria. This invention describes a new procedure for the manufacture of long-lasting phosphorescent fabrics, and of garments comprising this fabric for use in areas such as security, domestic, sports, health or professional use, among others.

RESEARCH PROJECT

Both the product presented this morning and the new procedure for its manufacture are the result of the research project "Nanotex l: research for obtaining new textile products based on nanotectnology", developed by the research group of Fernando Moreno Gracia, its coordinator.

Francisco González Fernández, also a scientific advisor to Fotoglass, acted as technical director.Juan Marcos Sanz Casado, now R&D&I technician transferred to Textil Santanderina; Rodrigo Alcaraz de la Osa and José María Saz Vega, from Moreno's research group, have also played a key role in the development of the product, together with the Techs department of the Cantabrian company, specialised in technical textiles and led in "Nanotex I" by Roberto González.

Nanotex's objective, in the year of its duration, was to initiate a planned line of industrial research with the aim of acquiring new knowledge and techniques that would be useful for the creation of new textile products based on the nanometric range, which would present novel properties or improve those of existing products. In particular, efforts have focused on photoluminescence, light directionality and obtaining field concentrations or "HotSpots".

The University of Cantabria has celebrated this Monday the award ceremony of the Research Awards Social Council and the Business Collaboration Award of the Leonardo Torres Quevedo Foundation.

Development of new nanosensors for biological applications', from the Optics Group, is the work that this year has won the prize for the best research work in its ninth edition, while the X Prize for Business Collaboration of the Leonardo Torres Quevedo Foundation has been awarded to the company Equipos Nucleares. This is one of the most significant academic events of the University of Cantabria because it distinguishes two of the activities that mark the development and being a university: research and its transfer to the business world.

The Gómez Laa Hall hosted this academic event which was presided over by the Rector, Jose Carlos Gómez Sal, and the President of the Government of Cantabria, Ignacio Diego. They were accompanied by the President of the Parliament, Jose Antonio Cagigas; the President of the Social Council, Jose Luis Zárate; his predecessor and President of the Social Council until last year, Juan María Parés; the Regional Minister for Education, Culture and Sport, Miguel Angel Serna; the Vice-Rector for Research and Knowledge Transfer, Angel Pazos; and the Managing Director of the FLTQ, Sergio Cicero.

Diego presented the award to the professors of the Optics Group of the University of Cantabria who have carried out the work 'Development of new nanosensors for biological applications', awarded the prize for the best research workDevelopment of new nanosensors for biological applicationsawarded the prize for the best research work: Fernando Moreno, Francisco Gonzalez, Jose María Saiz, Pablo Albella and Borja García. The director of this work, Fernando Moreno, was in charge of the presentation.
Together with this prize, the Social Council also awarded the best theses in five of the major research

Nuclear Equipment, Business Collaboration Award

The Rector, Jose Carlos Gómez Sal, was in charge of presenting the Business Collaboration Prize, an award, said the Rector, which precisely marks the need for a useful and real collaboration between the University and the business world, something "fundamental" both for the development of the University and for the development and future of the region itself.

This form of "joint and respectful work can lead us to great projects", said Gómez Sal before announcing the awarding of the 10th Business Collaboration Prize of the Leonardo Torres Quevedo Foundation to the company Equipos Nucleares, a relationship that the University of Cantabria has maintained for more than 20 years.
In his speech, Isidro Cicero summarised some of the many projects and research projects that have been made possible as a result of this "fruitful" collaboration with Equipos Nucleares, whose director, Eduardo González Mesones, accepted the award.

Representing the promoters of this candidacy was Professor Jose María Drake Moyano, who described the winning company as a world leader in its sector and "an example of University/Company collaboration".

Joining forces

Finally, the regional president, Ignacio Diego, closed the ceremony by saying that "it is time to join forces to win the future" and stressed the need for collaboration "between companies, the University and the Government" to "get out of the situation in which we find ourselves" and "consolidate a system that links the university with the business world".

Diego stressed that the Research Awards of the Social Council of the University of Cantabria (UC) "are prestigious because of the person who gives them their name", Juan María Parés, an "exemplary businessman and a point of reference for our society, whom I respect and appreciate".
He also highlighted the "high level of research and the solvency of the teams" that compete for these awards each year. The President stressed the Government's "commitment" to "a regional model based on research, innovation and knowledge", for which he assured that he could count on the "support" of the University.

It has been carried out by the Optics group, led by Fernando Moreno and Francisco González of FOTOGLASS, in collaboration with the US Army and Duke University

The projectDevelopment of new nanosensors for biological applicationshas been the winner of the 2011 'Juan María Pares' Research Awards of the Social Council of the University of Cantabria. The study was led by Pablo Albella, Borja García, José María Saiz, Francisco González and Fernando Moreno, from the Optics research group (Department of Applied Physics).

The aim of the prize-winning work - carried out in collaboration with the ARL (US Army Research Laboratory) and Duke University (USA) - is the development and control of new biological sensors based on metallic nanoparticles with a response in the ultraviolet range.

The use of gallium as a novel metallic material was proposed, which has advantages over its competitors (silver or aluminium), such as its low degree of oxidation and the relative simplicity it offers for fabricating hemispherical nanoparticles on substrates that respond adequately in both the visible-infrared and ultraviolet ranges.

In addition to developing methods for the fabrication of gallium nanoparticles, simulation models and other tools have been developed to optimise this technology and make it cheaper to manufacture.

The quality of the work presented has the seal of USAITC-A (United States Army International Technology Center-Atlantic), co-funder of the research, and was endorsed by prestigious researchers: Naomí Halas, from Rice University (USA) -considered one of the most prestigious researchers worldwide in the field of nanoscience and a pioneer in the research of nanosensors for the early detection of cancer; Andreas Berger, research director of Nano-GUNE; Lluis Torner, director of the Institute of Photonic Sciences of Catalonia; Ricardo Aroca, from the University of Windsor (Canada), a pioneer in Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) techniques applied to nanosensors; and Gorden Videen, from ARL, a leading researcher in the field of light scattering.

The most relevant results of this research have also been published in the journal Nanoletters, the world's leading journal in its field along with Nature Nanotechnology.

Fotoglass advisor and University of Cantabria professor Fernando Moreno has been named Senior Member of The Optical Society of America (OSA) in recognition of his experience and professional achievements in the field of optics and photonics. The OSA Board of Directors approved last May the list of members of a new membership category, the "Senior Members", which includes 162 names of scientists from all over the world.

To be included in this group, researchers must be active members of the Society and have at least ten years of significant

professional experience Fernando Moreno, Professor of Optics in the Department of Applied Physics and member of the UC Optics Group, is one of the five researchers who have been appointed senior members of the OSA on behalf of a Spanish institution.
UC professor Fernando Moreno, named 'Senior Member' of the American Optical Society

The other four are Ramón Corbalán, from the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Rafael Navarro, from the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Ignacio Moreno, from the Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche, and Manuel Melgosa, from the Universidad de Granada.

Founded in 1916, The Optical Society is a scientific, technical and educational organisation that was created with the aim of promoting and disseminating knowledge in the field of optics, both in its pure and applied aspects, as well as promoting cooperation between researchers working in this field and the designers and users of optical devices of all kinds.

"Fotoglass presented its experience in this field at a trans-regional seminar held on 13 July at the Vizcaya Technology Park.

The aim of the seminar is to promote the transfer of knowledge and collaboration between entrepreneurs and organisations involved in the generation of companies born in Universities and Research or Technological Centres.

This event is aimed at professionals from the world of Universities and Research or Technological Centres involved in the launch of companies that commercialise the fruits of research.

It is also aimed at experts and professionals from public or private organisations that support entrepreneurship and the creation of companies, and at entrepreneurs and intra-entrepreneurs from university or technological environments who have created or intend to create a company related to the fruits of research, among others.

The conference will deal with aspects such as the environments for the creation of spin-offs, the role of people and the need to promote the entrepreneurial spirit, the transfer of knowledge between the company and the organisation from which it emerges.
In all cases, the contents are accompanied by an exchange of experiences through a round table discussion between representatives from different autonomous communities.

The Fotoglass company was set up in 2009 by a group of researchers from the UC Optics Group, in collaboration with the company Hispano Italiana de Revestimientos (HIRSA).

Francisco González and Fernando Moreno from Fotoglass participate in the XXXVII IAHS World Congress on Housing with the paper "New glass-based phosphorescent material for construction and safety applications.

The University of Cantabria has co-organised the 37th World Congress on Housing Science with the International Association for Housing Science (IAHS), an entity integrated in the UN with the aim of promoting advances in the field of Building.

This event, which will bring together more than 300 expert speakers from 35 countries, has been held annually since 1975 and this year it will be held in Santander

The topics addressed in the congress are:

- Construction materials and methods
- Design for sustainability and renovation
- Socio-cultural aspects of housing and urban planning projects
- Health, comfort and comfort policies
- Earthquake-resistant housing design
- Urban planning and the city
- Economic and financing policies
- Management and maintenance systems
- Building technology: construction, structures, installations and enclosures
- Pathology and rehabilitation of buildings.

"The competition awarded prizes totalling 90,000 euros among five business initiatives during the Technology-Based Business Dayorganised by the SODERCAN Group and attended by around 140 entrepreneurs and business people from all over Cantabria.

Fotoglass, with its project for photoluminescent tiles obtained by airbrushing on a sintered vitreous support with applications in safety signage, has won third prize in this edition..

The winning projects range from advanced systems and products for greenhouses to the manufacture of photoluminescent tiles, including ICT products for so-called "data mining" aimed at sectors that generate large amounts of raw data with their daily activity or traceability systems using "smart tags" (RFID).

The conference, organised by SODERCAN, was attended by three prominent speakers who spoke about their experiences at the National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA) and in the so-called Silicon Valley (Sillicon Valley) in California.

The CEO of SODERCAN reiterated the group's commitment to the creation and development of this type of company, which, in proportion to the resources invested, "create more employment and wealth, are rooted in the territory in a more precise way" and "facilitate the transfer of scientific and technological knowledge between University and company in the broadest sense".

More than 160 business ideas have been submitted to the five editions of this competition, of which around thirty have been awarded prizes.