Very thin wires made of a topological insulator could enable highly stable qubits, the building blocks of future quantum computers. Scientists see a new result in topological insulator devices as an important step towards realizing the technology’s potential. An international group of scientists have demonstrated that wires more than 100 times thinner than a human […]

Today is World Quantum Day! What comes to your mind when you hear quanta? What are quanta? What’s so special about them? And which research areas are particularly interesting for researchers in the SNI network? We asked a few people on the street and researchers about this (Video in German with English subtitles)  

With a craft tutorial for small origami bunnies we wish you all “Happy Easter”!

The newly designed general part of the SNI’s annual report gives you an overview of the activities in the areas of education, research, services, communication, and finances. The scientific supplement contains scientific reports on all projects supported by the SNI in 2021 in the SNI PhD School and the applied Nano Argovia program. You are […]

Quantum bits (qubits) are the smallest units of information in a quantum computer. Currently, one of the biggest challenges in developing this kind of powerful computer is scalability. A research group at the University of Basel, working with the IBM Research Laboratory in Rüschlikon, has made a breakthrough in this area. Quantum computers promise unprecedented […]

Researchers from the University of Basel have succeeded in forming a control loop consisting of two quantum systems separated by a distance of one meter. Within this loop, one quantum system — a vibrating membrane — is cooled by the other — a cloud of atoms, and the two systems are coupled to one another […]

The nucleus is guarded by a highly secure door, the so-called nuclear pore, thatcontrols the transport of substances from the cytoplasm to the cell nucleus and back. Aresearch group at the University of Basel has now shown that different shuttle proteinsoccupy the nuclear pore to prevent unsolicited leakage of molecules. These proteinsform an escape-proof, failsafe […]

Wolfgang Meier passed away much too early on January 25, 2022 in the presence of his family after a long illness. With him, we are losing an excellent innovative scientist who always came up with new ideas and, above all, was a wonderful person who impressed us with his calmness and composure. He became a […]

Researchers from the University of Basel and the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have developed a rapid test for Covid-19 with a novel functional principle. Although it requires further testing and improvements, the initial results are promising: As well as determining whether a Covid-19 infection is present, the test also promises to provide information on the […]

The whole SNI team wishes you happy holidays and a good start of a healthy and beautiful New Year. We are looking forward to many joint projects and activities in 2022.