INRiM participates as a partner in the AQuTE project (Advanced Quantum Time Experiment), funded by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) and running from September 28, 2023, to February 28, 2026.

Providing a quantum description of time measurements is a conceptual challenge, since in quantum mechanics time is not an observable but merely a parameter. For this reason, the literature includes several different and non-equivalent approaches to the treatment of temporal measurements.

This project aims to carry out an experiment capable of discriminating among these theories, focusing on a specific case: the time of arrival (TOA) of a particle at a predetermined spatial position. The particle considered will be a single photon propagating in an optical waveguide (a fiber), which in this context acquires an effective mass through the transverse standing-wave model.

The experiment will establish which proposal provides the correct quantum description of the TOA. In particular, if the results confirm the validity of the “quantum clock” approach, the impact would be remarkable: this model represents an extension of conventional quantum mechanics. In such a case, the experiment would demonstrate that the standard formulation of the theory, as presented in classical textbooks, is insufficient to describe and predict certain experimentally accessible phenomena. Such an outcome would represent a disruptive and revolutionary result.

INRiM is the coordinator of the CalQuStates project (Calibration of microwave chains for Quantum States preparation and readout at millikelvin temperatures), funded by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) and running from September 28, 2023, to February 28, 2026.

Cryogenic microwave technology, driven by the boom in Quantum Computing and Quantum Technologies, requires new capabilities for accurate signal calibration.

The CalQuStates project aims to establish in Italy an innovative microwave metrology in cryogenic environments, with applications ranging from Quantum Computing to telecommunications, defense, cryogenics, and medical diagnostics.

It represents the first national initiative toward coordinated metrology for superconducting circuits, laying the foundations for the development and commercialization of “made in Italy” quantum technologies.

Furthermore, the project combines fundamental metrology with new approaches to explore advanced concepts such as universality tests, novel cooling techniques, quantum sensors, and light–matter interactions at millikelvin temperatures, with the potential to achieve high-impact scientific results.

INRiM participates as a partner in the CONTRABASS project (Efficient simulation and design of quantum CONtrol sTRategies for mAny-Body quAntum SystemS), funded by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) and running from September 28, 2023, to February 28, 2026.

The main goal of the project is to exploit and develop novel numerical methods both for the simulation of many-body open quantum systems and for the efficient design of feedback control strategies for applications in quantum technologies.

A particular focus will be devoted to the generation of quantum states of atomic ensembles with potential usefulness in quantum metrology.

INRiM participates as a partner in the DAREDEVIL project (DARk-mattEr-DEVIces-for-Low-energy-detection), funded by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) and running from September 28, 2023, to February 28, 2026.

The project aims to build a prototype detector by combining small or zero gap materials (such as Dirac/Weyl crystals and superconductors) with state-of-the-art cryogenic sensors. A complete characterisation of the prototypes is planned, both theoretically and experimentally, in terms of detector response, energy resolution, threshold, noise, and dark noise rate.

Given the variety of skills required to achieve the objective, the project involves a multidisciplinary team composed of condensed matter theorists, astroparticle physicists, and sensor engineering experts.

The project would represent a first step toward the creation of a low-threshold, ultra-high-resolution device for next-generation experiments in the search for light dark matter.

INRiM is the coordinator of the EMPEROR project (Engineering two-dimensional Materials-based Photonics and Electronics platfoRms by directed self-assembly of blOck copolymeRs), funded by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) and running from September 28, 2023, to February 28, 2026.

The project aims to develop a new class of photonic and electronic devices based on two-dimensional (2D) materials nanostructured through Directed Self-Assembly (DSA) of block copolymers. 2D materials, such as transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and Xenes, exhibit unique properties, yet their integration into reliable fabrication processes remains limited by conventional lithography.

The project proposes DSA as a universal, scalable, and low-cost platform capable of generating highly ordered sub-10 nm nanostructures over large areas, enabling the exploration of novel optical, electronic, and topological properties. The project focuses on two key materials: Silicene and tungsten disulfide (WS₂), employed to realize ultrascaled field-effect transistors and nanostructured optoelectronic devices.

The developed platforms will pave the way for further studies and applications, contributing to the objectives of the European Green Deal by fostering low-power, energy-efficient systems with reduced environmental impact, benefiting civil, industrial, and infrastructural domains.

INRiM participates as a partner in the EXTRASTRONG project (Resilience Evaluation by Experimental and Theoretical Approaches in Electrical Distribution Systems with Underground Cables), funded by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) and running from September 28, 2023, to February 28, 2026.

The project goals are:

1. The introduction of a standard measurement system: by installing it, distribution system operators (DSOs) may check system conditions and avoid failures due to Extreme Heat Waves (EHWs);
2. The introduction of standard laboratory test procedures to evaluate the electrical resilience of cables and joints;
3. The creation of a test bench replicating several load and EHW conditions, so that manufacturers may verify product compliance with the tests specified in c);
4. The improvement of component models, including EHW effects, insulation degradation, and ampacity modification;
5. Refining the Statistical-based Cost Benefit Analysis (SCBA).

The methodology will be based on the combined use of:

1. Field measurements,
2. Laboratory experience,
3. Simulation activities.

INRiM participates as a partner in the HEUSLER project (Modelling and process engineering of Heusler alloys for thermometric waste heat harvesting and spintronic applications), funded by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) and running from September 28, 2023, to February 28, 2026.

The proposal is dedicated to all-d-metal Heusler compounds, free of critical raw materials and toxic elements, characterized by multifunctional properties ranging from thermoelectric waste heat conversion to spintronics.

The main goal is to connect atomistic modelling of the electronic structure with transport and magneto-electric properties measured on samples produced through scalable techniques.

The project is structured along three main lines:

1. Understanding the role of structural defects and magnetic disorder in deviations from half-metallic behavior predicted by the Slater–Pauling rule, through ab-initio calculations and experimental validation (NMR, transport and magneto-electric measurements);
2. Improving thermoelectric efficiency by optimizing the figure of merit ZT = (S²·T)/(ρ·k) (where S is the Seebeck coefficient, T the absolute temperature, ρ the electrical resistivity, and k the thermal conductivity) via doping and electron/phonon scattering engineering using non-equilibrium processing routes;
3. Controlling structural and microstructural features through compound design and process engineering, comparing bulk and thin-film samples.

The developed materials, thanks to their versatility, availability, and enhanced mechanical properties, will enable robust and efficient devices, contributing to energy efficiency and environmental sustainability.

INRiM participates as a partner in the ISOTOP project (Precision isotopic shift measurements to test physics beyond the Standard Model), funded by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) and running from September 28, 2023, to February 28, 2026.

Precision metrology with atomic and molecular systems provides a novel route to explore physics beyond the Standard Model, complementing high-energy experiments.

Optical atomic clocks, capable of determining relative frequencies with up to 20-digit accuracy, represent unique quantum probes to test the constancy of fundamental constants, couplings to dark matter, and electric dipole moments.

Recently, attention has shifted towards isotopic shifts, which may be sensitive to the presence of light particles not predicted by the Standard Model.

In this framework, the project proposes to exploit technologies developed at the University of Florence and INRiM to perform absolute frequency measurements of optical transitions in cadmium atoms.

Owing to its narrow and ultra-narrow intercombination lines and six stable spinless isotopes, cadmium is an ideal system for high-precision comparative studies.

These measurements could provide crucial evidence of non-linear isotope shift behaviour, as already observed in calcium and ytterbium, thereby opening the way to the discovery of new interactions and fundamental particles.

INRiM is the coordinatore of the MetroSpin project (Modelling and process engineering of Heusler alloys for thermometric waste heat harvesting and spintronic applications), funded by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) and running from September 28, 2023, to February 28, 2026.

This project proposes the application of machine learning (ML) to the study of chiral spin structures, key elements for low-power memory and logic devices in spintronics.

Their stability is governed by the Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction (DMI), a crucial parameter still affected by significant measurement discrepancies.

The goal is to enhance metrological reliability by combining statistical approaches with artificial intelligence. Specifically, the project aims to:
(i) investigate reproducibility and repeatability of measurements, linking errors to sample defects and inhomogeneities;
(ii) employ ML to extract DMI from magnetic domain patterns, by comparing simulated and experimental data, and clarifying the physical origins of data spread.

The initiative addresses the lack of fast, standardized protocols currently limiting industrial adoption of spintronics. Expected outcomes include innovative tools for both scientific and industrial communities, enabling efficient and scalable characterization methods to support emerging applications in magnetic memories, spin-based logic, and nanotechnology.

INRiM participates as a partner in the MIRABLE project (Measurement Infrastructure for Research on heAlthy and zero energy Buildings in novel Living lab Ecosystems), funded by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) and running from September 28, 2023, to February 28, 2026.

The MIRABLE project addresses the gap between expected and actual building performance by developing a methodology for designing, implementing, and validating a measurement infrastructure in Living Laboratories (LL) at full scale. The infrastructure will be deployed in a laboratory under construction in Turin (H-IEQ LL), conceived as a highly controlled, flexible environment to support human-centered research and innovation for healthy, smart, and near-zero-energy buildings, reducing energy use and promoting resilience and energy independence.

The project will develop methodologies to:

• Involve occupants as sensors, actuators, and drivers of innovation;
• Define ground-truth references for wearable and low-grade sensors for indoor environmental quality (IEQ) measurements, accounting for physical proximity, occupant feedback, and interaction with building systems.

The infrastructure will ensure minimal disturbance to occupants, measurement accuracy tailored to R&D objectives, multidomain data on the physical environment and occupant responses, and high temporal and spatial resolution.

Key activities include identifying best practices for monitoring occupant comfort and interactions, selecting and characterizing environmental and wearable sensors, designing, commissioning, and operating the measurement and data acquisition system, and integrating, analyzing, and post-processing the collected data.

The H-IEQ LL will enable research on indoor comfort, occupant behavior, and advanced building technologies, including envelope systems, services, and controls, establishing a new model of Living Lab for multidisciplinary, human-centered research.

INRiM participates as a partner in the NEURONE project (extremely efficient NEUromorphic Reservoir cOmputing in Nanowire network hardwarE), funded by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) and running from September 28, 2023, to February 28, 2026.

Recent advances in Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning entail unsustainable environmental, social, and economic costs, due to poor scalability of training algorithms and non-optimized hardware structures.

This project proposes a novel framework for Deep Learning on physical substrates, based on hardware–software co-design and Green AI principles, with efficiency as a core focus.

On the hardware side, it adopts the Neuromorphic Computing paradigm, developing low-cost, versatile nanowire-based substrates. On the software side, it implements a physics-informed design of Reservoir Computing networks for highly efficient algorithms.

The project will realize a Neural Nanowire Network (NNWN) capable of learning from temporal data, demonstrated both in silico and on-chip in edge computing applications, highlighting its accuracy–efficiency tradeoff advantage over state-of-the-art solutions.

INRiM is the coordinatore of the PHOTAG project (Multi-step optical encoding in anti-counterfeiting photonic tags based on liquid crystal), funded by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) and running from September 28, 2023, to February 28, 2026.

PHOTAG aims to develop a low-cost, multi-level security, and easy-to-use anti-counterfeiting label for optical encoding of metadata.

Photonic QR codes for product identification will be patterned in photo-polymerizable liquid crystalline (LC) materials using different manufacturing techniques, enabling labels with different sizes, scalability, and information density capabilities.

The photonic label will include random defects that will serve as unclonable features (PUFs, Physical Unclonable Functions), which, through optical interrogation protocols based on a challenge-response scheme, will authenticate the product.

The project intends to realize two types of random QR codes:

• Colored photonic tags made of stabilized cholesteric liquid crystals;
• Holograms generated by 3D diffractive optical elements (DOEs) made of stabilized nematic liquid crystals.

Optical QR code encoding and authentication will be tested in a multi-step process for secure and certified reading and encoding of information at nodes in a production chain, at the end of which the end consumer will be able to access product metadata stored in a secure database through a simple optical reading of the QR code.

These optical metadata encoders, combined with PUFs, promise to fulfill all functions of identification, authentication, traceability, as well as anti-tampering, for anti-counterfeiting of goods.

INRiM participates as a partner in the ROCKFALL project (Rockfall risk mitigation in the Alps), funded by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) and running from September 28, 2023, to February 28, 2026.

The project aims to develop accurate and transferable heat transfer models in rock, specific to different lithotypes, for risk mitigation in high-elevation areas prone to rockfalls.

Building on the instrumented area of the Bessanese glacier basin, previously studied using innovative techniques (RIST, RIST2 projects and the GeoClimAlp initiative), the project will refine existing measurements by introducing new instrumentation, additional lithotypes, and rock faces with varied solar exposures.

Istituto di ricerca per la protezione idrogeologica of the National Research Council (CNR-IRPI) will install and manage the instrumentation, while identifying a second alpine site to validate the models. INRiM will calibrate and characterize the instruments, and the Politecnico di Torino will develop numerical models based on laboratory thermal characterizations to simulate the behavior of the lithotypes.

The models will be field-tested to evaluate their transferability and applicability to other alpine areas.

INRiM participates as a partner in the THEEPANY project (ThreEE-dimensional Processing tecHnique of mAgNetic crYstals for magnonics and nanomagnetism), funded by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) and running from September 28, 2023, to February 28, 2026.

The project aims to demonstrate a new paradigm for the nanofabrication of magnetic crystals such as YIG, enabling nanoscale resolution, 3D capabilities, and greyscale tunability of magnetic properties.

Two complementary direct-writing techniques will be used:

• Ultrafast laser processing
• Thermally-assisted scanning probe lithography

to achieve flexible 3D nanopatterning (>100 nm) and sub-10 nm planar resolution.

The synergy of these methods will enable the fabrication of advanced magnonic devices, including 3D magnonic crystals and waveguides, going beyond the state-of-the-art. This project represents a unique advancement in magnetic materials processing, opening new scientific and technological perspectives in magnonics and nanomagnetism.

INRiM is the coordinatore of the U-MagFinger project (Fast readable label by Unique Magnetic Fingerprints on Industry 4.0: polymeric nanocomposites for a global exchange of information with a high level of security), funded by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) and running from September 28, 2023, to February 28, 2026.

The project aims to advance knowledge in nanotechnology for the development of innovative magnetic tags capable of exchanging, tracking, identifying, and encrypting information.

The core concept relies on the controlled assembly of magnetic polymeric supraparticles, acting as unique magnetic fingerprints, detectable by magnetic particle spectroscopy (MPS).

The experimental plan includes:

• The synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄, CoFe₂O₄, NiFe₂O₄) via efficient and eco-friendly chemical routes;
• Their embedding in thermoplastic matrices through twin-screw extrusion;
• The quantitative assembly of supraparticles to generate encrypted magnetic fingerprints.

These structures will ensure reliable and fast authentication, providing high stability, environmental resistance, remote readability, and scalable coding capacity, paving the way for new solutions in data security and advanced materials engineering.

INRiM is the coordinator of the Xvers.T.E.C. project (Transverse thermoelectric energy conversion), funded by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) and running from September 28, 2023, to February 28, 2026.

The project aims to advance experimental knowledge on transverse thermoelectric generation, enabling the conversion of ambient thermal energy into electricity through solid-state devices.

Materials exhibiting transverse thermoelectric effects (such as the Nernst effect) and high remnant magnetization will be investigated to overcome the limitations imposed by the Wiedemann–Franz law and enhance efficiency beyond Seebeck-based constraints.

The project involves the fabrication of thin-film and bulk structures with optimized microstructures and the study of thermoelectric performance as a function of geometry.

The results will provide key insights for understanding the underlying phenomena and for the design of innovative thermoelectric devices, with strong scientific and industrial impact.