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7. July 2025
Meet Stefan and Philipp from the Austrian Academy of Sciences. These researchers are exploring the frontiers of quantum science and technology: fields that promise to revolutionize how we sense, communicate, and understand the world around us. They regularly travel from Vienna to CEITEC Nano cleanrooms at CEITEC BUT, where they find the advanced nanofabrication facilities and also the expertise that are essential to their research.
What do Stefan and Philipp do?
Stefan Putz and Philipp Koller are employed at the Quantum Technology Unit at the Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information (IQOQI) in Vienna. With their team, they work with what are called “colour centres” in materials like diamond and silicon carbide. “These tiny defects in the crystal structure of materials behave similarly to single trapped molecules, making them excellent candidates for storing quantum information,” Philipp explains. They are also highly sensitive to small electric and magnetic fields. This makes them useful for everything from analysing chemical compounds (for example in areas such as medicine and food safety) to navigating without GPS (the so-called inertial navigation) using extremely small changes in magnetic or electric fields.
The Austrian scientists are also developing devices called gravimeters, which use magnetically levitating mirrors to detect even the tiniest movements. “The gravimeters are tiny objects, smaller than a millimetre, that can be stabilized with extreme precision and used to detect incredibly small accelerations. They have significant potential in various applications, such as gaining deeper insights into the fundamental nature of gravity or detecting subtle ground movements that occur before major earthquakes,” says Philipp.
Why CEITEC Nano?
CEITEC Nano, part of the larger CzechNanoLab research infrastructure, is a top-tier facility for research in nanoscience and nanotechnology, accessible to researchers from both academia and the private sector. The mission of the infrastructure is to support scientists and engineers who aim to push the boundaries of knowledge in fields ranging from physics and chemistry to nanoelectronics, nanobiotechnology, and neuroscience.
CEITEC Nano gives Stefan and Philipp access not only to advanced nanofabrication cleanrooms but also to a collaborative environment filled with expert researchers, all under one roof. As they both admit, they are lacking a similar facility with this technological standard, user-friendly atmosphere and accessibility in Vienna. “It’s a very unique place and you have everything together, it’s close, you can go and just experiment (...) There’s staff people who help you out when you need and that helps a lot,” concludes Stefan, highlighting the support users get at CEITEC Nano whenever needed.
How Can Non-CEITEC Researchers Access the Labs?
If you’re not a CEITEC Brno University of Technology employee but want to work in CEITEC Nano’s labs, here's how it works:
- Funding: You need financial backing either from your home institution or a company to cover the user fees.
- Registration: Fill out 2–3 simple forms to get started.
- Training: Complete an online Moodle course and attend in-person safety training.
- Equipment Access: After training, you'll receive equipment-specific instruction and can begin booking machines and conducting experiments. Every step of your work is documented in a shared lab notebook.
What Tools Do Stefan and Philipp Use for Their Research?
Stefan and Philipp use an array of tools at CEITEC Nano, including:
- Optical Lithography: Machines like the SUSS RCD8 spincoater and MA8 mask aligner help pattern intricate designs onto substrates.
- Etching Equipment: Devices like the DRIE and RIE-CL help carve structures into silicon and metals.
- Material Deposition: The EVAPORATOR machine is used to coat surfaces with metals or insulators, forming tiny electrodes.
- Chip Dicing: LASER dicers and DISCO saws are used to cut full wafers into individual chips for experiments.
- And more...
The Importance of CEITEC Nano
The way CEITEC Nano links with international researchers such as Stefan and Philipp shows the importance that this state-of-the-art infrastructure operating on the basis of open access brings to the region. Indeed, CEITEC Nano is not just a local resource, but part of global scientific research and progress. It is a place where international researchers meet, share ideas, and find useful collaborations. The CEITEC Nano Research Infrastructure thus contributes to placing the #brnoregion in the global context of science.
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