Nanosciences in France
A brave new world is emerging, offering products that are increasingly smaller and lighter. Welcome to the nanoworld: the world of nanosciences and nanotechnologies. While the impact has yet to be felt in our daily lives, research scientists are reinventing our world atom by atom, preparing a revolution that could drastically modify the worlds of medicine, computing, electronics, optics, key chemicals and pharmaceutical products and the environment. In 2003, the French Ministry of Research launched a broad national programme to support and coordinate research teams and laboratories working in this domain. In parallel to this, the ERA-NET nanosciences project, designed to build bridges across Europe, was established in 2005, coordinated by France in partnership with several European countries. Discover the fascinating world of the infinitely small.
“Writing the entire Encyclopaedia Britannica on the head of a pin” mused future Physics Nobel Prize winner Richard Feynman in 1959. Since then, the possibility has been extensively examined, explored and delved into. With the discovery of Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy (STM) in the 1980s, the domain of nanosciences and nanotechnologies has developed and diversified continuously. “Nanosciences represent an extremely vast and interdisciplinary area of research. It’s one of the most promising areas of scientific and technological research for the next few decades, as well as a strategic investment, due to its strong potential for economic development”, explains Jean-Louis Robert, head of the scientific mission at the Research Department of the French Ministry of Research, and professor at the University of Montpellier II.
The prefix “nano” means “very small” in Greek. Scientists use the prefix to express a billionth in measuring units: for example, a nanometre (nm) particle size, is roughly 30,000 smaller than the diameter of a section of human hair. One might question the usefulness of reducing to a molecular scale the objects and tools of our environment. “Because the new properties displayed by nanometric objects differ from those of larger objects”, explains Jean-Louis Robert. In other words, nano-objects and nanomaterials possess properties of use that are specific to their size.
Launched in 2003 to fund fundamental research in this key area, France’s national Nanosciences Programme is coordinated by the Ministry of Research in cooperation with the CNRS (National Scientific Research Centre), the CEA (French Atomic Energy Commission) and the DGA (General Delegation for Weaponry). This ambitious programme clearly demonstrates the French government’s determination to ramp up France’s presence in this strategic sector. It is currently being carried out by the National Research Agency as the National Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies Programme (PNANO), which supports basic and applied research. In funding terms, the Ministry of Research has announced that France will contribute 70 million euros annually to nanosciences and nanotechnologies until 2007.
Basic research in nanosciences is carried out in 180 laboratories by 1,800 research scientists. It is supported by a national network consisting of five technology centres set in the regions of Ile-de-France, Rhône-Alpes, Midi-Pyrénées, Nord and Franche-Comté. Soon, the research conducted in the clean rooms of the CEA’s Electronics and Information Technology Laboratory (LETI) in Grenoble (Rhônes-Alpes) will make it possible to manufacture silicon chips measuring 2 square centimetres and which can store the same amount of information as the one housed in the French National Library (BNF). LETI has also set up a joint laboratory with Axalto, the world’s leading provider of microprocessor cards. The aim of the Minatec (Centre for Innovation in micro and nanotehcnology) is to establish the Grenoble areas as the European leader in micro and nanotechnologies by concentrating research centres, universities and industries in one location. Regional expertise centres called “C’Nano” have been established in several regions to foster contacts between researchers, industrialists and political players and to promote the launch of large-scale projects.
In order to coordinate French initiatives with other European countries, the CNRS has catalysed a European network that leverages an instrument provided by the European Commission: ERA-NET (European Research Area Network). Established on 1 March 2005, the NANOSCI-ERA consortium comprises 9 countries: Germany, Italy, Spain, the U.K., the Netherlands, Austria, Finland, Israel and France. “We also have several associate partners, such as Slovakia, Portugal and Poland. And we remain open to other countries”, adds Jean-Louis Robert. The aim of the project is to coordinate national nanosciences policies and to promote cooperation between researchers. The first calls for proposals will be launched in 2006.
The products of nanosciences are developed according to two methods: the “etching” method developed by the microelectronics industry, or the “molecular” approach favoured by chemists. All types of materials (e.g. metals, polymers or ceramics) and nearly all scientific disciplines are impacted by nanosciences and nanotechnologies. The industrial applications are numerous and increasingly varied. “The area of nanosciences is growing larger by the day, particularly in the fields of life sciences and medicine, providing hitherto unsuspected application possibilities”, adds Jean-Louis Robert.
In the healthcare area, nanotechnologies could generate new treatments that use functional nano-objects and could enable doctors to target specific areas of the body (for instance anti-cancer drugs or combination therapies against AIDS). The laboratoy-on-a-chip could help reduce the volume of blood required from the patient, as well as the duration and cost of blood tests : one drop of blood would be sufficient. The quality of tomorrow’s computers and mobile phones memories will be infinitely better than today, the memories being smaller than ever. Another anticipated benefit of the nano wave could be the nanophotonics area. Thanks to advances in optics, optical connections will replace electric connections, paving the way for new types of circuits displaying enhanced performances and lower energy consumption. “The nanostructuration of active materials can be used to generate components with a quantum confinement, enabling the construction of increasingly sophisticated lasers and detectors in terms of dissipated power, precision, noise and stability”, explains the communication officer of the Laboratory of Photonics and Nanostructure (LPN), at the CNRS centre in Marcoussis (Ile de France).
In the future, nanotechnologies will become part of our daily lives. In the meantime, researchs scientists continue to develop nanosciences, building a new Nanoworld.
Annik Bianchini
Websites:
National Centre for Scientific Research: www.cnrs.fr
National Research Agency: www.gip-anr.fr