CNR-IFN, National Council of Research of Italy, Institute of Photonics and Nanotechnology
The Italian National Research Council (CNR) is the largest public research institution in Italy, the only one under the Research Ministry performing multidisciplinary activities. The CNR mission is to perform research in its own Institutes, to promote innovation and competitiveness of the national industrial system, to promote the internationalization of the national research system, to provide technologies and solutions to emerging public and private needs, to advice Government and other public bodies, and to contribute to the qualification of human resources.
Institute of Photonics and Nanotechnology – Padova Unit
The CNR-IFN Padua unit has a wide recognized experience in the development of optical instrumentation. The main research lines of the laboratory are: instrumentation for space optics, Extreme Ultra Violet optics, thin films deposition, quantum communication, Adaptive Optics, Technology transfer. The laboratory is currently involved in collaborations and experiments spanning from the X-ray to the Infrared sources by the participation of the lab in design and realization of: instruments for space missions (ie SOHO, Rosetta), synchrotron radiation, FEL and Ultrafast Harmonics spectrographs/monochromator (ie Fexrays, Elettra BEAR and Aloisa). Moreover, the CNR-IFN Padua unit has a strong vocation to the collaboration with companies for the applied research as testified by the several patents applications submitted in the last decade.
Recently CNR-IFN PD started a research line in Adaptive Optics applying a vertical devices development that starts from the device opto-mechanical modelling to the device mounting and testing. IFN has fostered several adaptive optics applications in different fields: ophthalmology, high power, astronomy, laser focalization and quantum optics.
