Over the last four years the scientific activities in the field of nanotechnologies have been coordinated under the State Program on „Nanotechnologies and Nanomaterials”, the role of leading institution being attributed to the Institute of Electronic Engineering and Nanotechnologies „D. Ghiţu”. In the framework of this program there were realized 18 research projects, 11 of which were completed in 2010 and the other 7 projects - in December 2012. Some of the top results of these projects are the following: membranes with nanometer thickness and quantum nanodots based on semiconductor compounds; integration in an optic micro-fiber of millions of metallic, semimetallic or semiconductor nanowires; development of spin valve based on layered superconductor-ferromagnet nanostructures and topological insulators for use  in spintronics and quantum computers etc. The projects were realized by research teams from the Institute of Electronic Engineering and Nanotechnologies "D. Ghitu", Institute of Applied Physics, Institute of Chemistry, Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, ELIRI Research Institute, State University of Moldova, Technical University of Moldova and State University "A. Russo" from Balti. It is worth noting that ELIRI Research Institute has succeeded already to implement magnetic biosensors and is currently promoting towards practical implementation both magnetic labels for the protection of information carriers with increased security and the device for their decoding. Other elaborations such as semiconductor nanomatrices or metal nanowire networks integrated in optical microfibers attracted additional financial support from European funding institutions.

The cooperation in the field involved has intensified not only at the national level, but also at the international one. Two of the FP7 projects - MOLD-ERA and MOLD-NANONET (coordinating institutions being  the Institute of Electronic Engineering and Nanotechnologies "D. Ghitu" and ELIRI Research Institute correspondingly), managed to attract from the European Commission grants of about 1 mln Euro for capacity building in Moldova in the field of nanotechnologies. As a result, new units of technological equipment were purchased to complete the national nanotechnology infrastructure, multidisciplinary courses for young researchers were organized, along with training seminars regarding aspects referring to the preparation of project proposals for European programs.

The resonance of the results obtained in the framework of the State Program on "Nanotechnologies and Nanomaterials" has gone far beyond the borders of the Republic of Moldova. During this period, the prestigious UK website NanoTechWeb.org selected four nanotechnology  developments conducted by our scientists as being among the best in the world, these achievements being highlighted also on the cover of some prestigious international scientific journals in the field. Over the last few years the international companies Springer (Germany) and Woodhead Publishing (UK) edited three monographs in the field of nanotechnology with authors from the Republic of Moldova (acad. Ion Tighineanu and corr. member Anatol Sidorenko). Recently the ASP publisher from the U.S.A edited a special issue of the "Journal of Nanoelectronics and Optoelectronics" dedicated entirely to the results of Moldovan scientists. The guest editor of this issue is acad. Ion Tighineanu, the coordinator of the State Program on "Nanotechnologies and Nanomaterials".

These achievements contribute highly to the promotion of a positive image of our country in the world, boost the integration of Moldova in the European Research Area and create conditions for attracting investment in the high-tech fields.

Ecaterina Banaru

Source: infotag.md