The Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia (ISSP UL), has achieved a significant success in the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme, with two Twinning projects selected for funding. Overall, Latvian institutions secured 9 funded participations in the Twinning call (7 coordinated projects) out of 101 evaluated participations.
The iNEMESIS project (Twinning towards Excellence in Neuromorphic Ionic-Optoelectronic Memory Devices for Smart Intelligent Sensing), coordinated by Ilze Aulika, Leading researcher of Thin Films Laboratory, focuses on materials and nanoscale devices that can sense, store and process information locally, reducing the need to transfer large volumes of data and thereby lowering energy consumption and response time. iNEMESIS will develop a shared experimental and interpretation framework for several complementary types of nanoscale analogue memory units, including voltage-controlled ferroic and magneto-ionic systems, redox-based memristive devices and optically active materials. Particular attention will be given to controlling adaptive memory states, comparing results obtained from different material systems, and establishing reliable methods for measurement, analysis and validation. Over the next three years, the project will be carried out in collaboration with the Italian National Institute of Metrological Research (INRiM) and the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2) in Spain. The total project budget is EUR 1.495 million, with EUR 706,250 allocated to ISSP UL.
The STACK-UP project (Strategic Twinning for Additive Manufacturing and Multilayer Stack-Up of Functional Printed Devices), coordinated by Boriss Poļakovs, Leading researcher of Thin Films Laboratory, will be implemented together with the Swedish research institute RISE and KU Leuven in Belgium. The project aim is to develop at ISSP UL a complete pathway from functional materials and printable ink formulations to tested prototypes of printed electronic devices. Particular attention will be given to multilayer printing, laser processing, compatibility between successive layers, electrical interconnections, protective encapsulation and device validation. The acquired knowledge will be applied through the development of two demonstrators validated under laboratory conditions: a flexible, self-powered ultraviolet exposure dosimeter with a visual colour indicator, and a self-powered indoor environmental monitoring platform for measuring temperature, humidity and air quality. The total project budget is EUR 1.498 million, of which EUR 752,418.75 has been awarded to ISSP UL.
Both projects will run for three years under the Horizon Europe WIDERA Twinning programme, which supports research excellence by fostering long-term collaboration with leading European research institutions, promoting knowledge exchange, researcher mobility, and institutional capacity building. This achievement highlights ISSP UL's growing competitiveness in the European Research Area and will further strengthen the Institute's position in advanced materials, photonics, printed electronics, and smart sensing technologies.
