Meeting is one of the outcomes of the Confap & MAECI 2024 call.

The Espírito Santo Research and Innovation Support Foundation (Fapes) hosted, this Thursday (09), representatives from the Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems (IMM-CNR), Italy, in a visit that marks progress in international cooperation around a research project from Espírito Santo approved under the Confap & MAECI 2024 call. The initiative was made possible through the Foundation’s participation in the international call, which connects Brazilian researchers with leading Italian institutions.

The delegation included IMM-CNR Research Director Claudia Wiemer and researcher Roberto Mantovan, who met with Fapes Director-General Rodrigo Varejão in a meeting that represents one of the developments of the project “Hybrid Superconductor/Topological Insulator System: A Promising Spin Valve Device (HYSPID)”, coordinated by Professor Edson Passamani Caetano from the Federal University of Espírito Santo (Ufes), who was also present.

“The approval of a project from Espírito Santo enabled this mission of researchers to Espírito Santo, bringing the research conducted here even closer to that carried out at a world-class reference laboratory,” highlighted Rodrigo Varejão.

The project is part of the field of Condensed Matter Physics and Advanced Materials and operates at the frontier of knowledge in microelectronics, focusing on spintronics — a new generation of technologies that uses the electron’s spin, rather than its electric charge, to transmit and process information.

In practice, the partnership between Brazil and Italy brings together complementary expertise. On one side, researchers from Espírito Santo at the Espírito Santo Center for New Materials (NNMES), at Ufes, specialize in generating polarized spin currents from superconducting structures. On the other, the Italian group at IMM-CNR excels in producing high-quality topological insulating materials. The integration of these capabilities will enable the development of innovative hybrid devices.

During their stay in Espírito Santo, the Italian researchers are also participating in the “International Seminars” event promoted by Ufes, expanding scientific exchange and knowledge sharing between the teams.

Technology May Revolutionize the Electronics Industry

Research coordinator Professor Edson Passamani Caetano, who holds a PhD in Physics from the Brazilian Center for Research in Physics (CBPF), explains that the project includes the construction of devices capable of converting spin current into electric current.

“This represents an important advancement from both fundamental and technological perspectives. It is an emerging field in which information transfer is much faster and involves lower energy loss,” explained project coordinator Edson Passamani Caetano.

The technology under development is still in the research phase but shows strong potential to revolutionize the electronics industry. Devices based on spintronics could enable equipment with greater storage capacity, higher processing speed, and lower energy consumption, in addition to applications in strategic areas.

“We are working with cutting-edge technology that does not yet have immediate commercial applications but could profoundly transform electronic devices in the future. This is a global research trend, and we are part of this movement,” added the researcher.

According to Rodrigo Varejão, international cooperation is strategic for positioning Espírito Santo in emerging technological fields. To support the research exchange, Fapes is funding the project with approximately R$300,000 from the Espírito Santo State Fund for Science and Technology (Funcitec).

“We are talking about a central theme for global technological development, such as microelectronics and chips. This type of partnership opens important prospects not only for research but also for the State’s economic development, especially considering future demands from industrial sectors,” he stated.

Press Information:
Fapes Communication Office
Samantha Nepomuceno | Igor Gonçalves
+55 (27) 3636-1867 | +55 (27) 3636-1858
comunicacao@fapes.es.gov.br