{"id":36472,"date":"2026-03-26T12:45:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/?p=36472"},"modified":"2026-03-26T18:24:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T12:39:11","slug":"uofg-nanofabrication-facility-marks-20-years-of-achievement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/uofg-nanofabrication-facility-marks-20-years-of-achievement\/","title":{"rendered":"UofG nanofabrication facility marks 20 years of achievement"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A Scottish high-tech manufacturing facility which helped create the technology that runs the modern internet is celebrating its 20th<\/sup> anniversary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The University of Glasgow\u2019s James Watt Nanofabrication Centre is one of the UK\u2019s key facilities for research, development and training in nanoscale devices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The facility is home to a \u00a335m suite of equipment which enables a wide range of cutting-edge applications and has supported the work of nearly 200 high-tech companies around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the facility\u2019s first test run on 26th<\/sup> March 2006, JWNC researchers have established a string of world records, witnessed their groundbreaking technology used to see far below the Earth and on board the International Space Station, and trained hundreds of postgraduate students who now contribute to the world\u2019s tech giants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It has also helped establish a series of spinouts which are commercialising fundamental research in sectors including healthcare, quantum technologies and photonics, and it plays a key role in supporting Scotland\u2019s thriving critical technologies sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, it\u2019s the Centre\u2019s work on fabricating custom semiconductor lasers used in the world\u2019s largest data centres which has had the most impact over the last two decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2016, Sivers Semiconductors won volume production contracts to supply lasers for fibre-optic communications thanks to the support and expertise of the JWNC. These products enabled faster optical fibre internet and television services to consumers, shipping on a global scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Working closely with the University\u2019s commercial subsidiary Kelvin Nanotechnology (KNT), the JWNC helped Sivers produce millions of lasers to deploy in optical network applications around the world, using the Centre\u2019s electron-beam lithography tools. The tools use a focused beam of electrons to etch intricate patterns just a fraction of a micron across, enabling the creation of tiny photonic devices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andrew McKee, Sivers Semiconductors\u2019 CTO, said: \u201cBased on the early development work done at the JWNC, Sivers has today supplied 45 million advanced lasers into a wide range of applications including AI datacentres, LIDAR and consumer sensing. That\u2019s a remarkable achievement for a Scottish company, and part of the credit for that belongs to the JWNC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWorking with KNT and the JWNC gave us rapid access to world\u2011leading equipment and expertise which accelerated our time to market by around 18 months. That speed was crucial in winning business and establishing us as a global technology leader, and becoming a key strategic supplier to many Fortune 100 and Silicon Valley start-up customers that we are today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The early commercial success enabled Sivers to scale quickly, build a world\u2011class internal team and diversify its portfolio. The company is now one of the world\u2019s leading suppliers of lasers that enable high\u2011speed optical interconnects for AI processing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Scotland\u2019s leading electron\u2011beam lithography facility, the JWNC now conducts more than 100 e\u2011beam jobs each week, supporting a University research portfolio worth more than \u00a353 million. Its 1,200\u2011square\u2011foot cleanroom hosts tools enabling the creation of advanced electronic, optoelectronic and bio\u2011compatible devices. Today the Centre employs 26 full\u2011time staff, with a further 20 working at KNT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Professor Martin Weides, director of the James Watt Nanofabrication Centre, said: \u201cThe University of Glasgow has been at the cutting edge of nanofabrication over six decades, from establishing our first e-beam in 1978 by converting a scanning electron microscope, to buying the UK\u2019s first commercial e-beam tool in 1990, to our leading position today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHowever, it was the first electron fired from our e-beam tool by Dr Stephen Thoms on Sunday 26th<\/sup> March 2006 that sparked a remarkable expansion of the University\u2019s capabilities which has surpassed even our initial ambitions. The Centre has more than doubled in size over its lifetime, helping us play a leading role in advancing fundamental research, enabling commercial partnerships, and supporting global and domestic supply chains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOver the course of the last 20 years, the JWNC\u2019s facilities and our uniquely talented staff have helped take research out of the lab and into commercial use. We have helped fabricate prototype parts for major international companies to use in everyday devices like mobile phones, as well as established our own spinouts across sectors of industry which will help spur economic growth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kelvin Nanotechnology has supported more than 170 companies across 23 countries, while University researchers have launched multiple spinouts including Vector Photonics, Neuranics, and Gold Standard Simulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the last two decades, JWNC\u2019s facilities have supported breakthroughs including the smallest e\u2011beam lithography pattern at three nanometres, the best layer\u2011to\u2011layer alignment at 0.46 nanometres, and the world\u2019s smallest diamond transistor. Techniques developed at the Centre enabled the creation of the world\u2019s fastest diamond transistor in 2009 and the world\u2019s smallest diamond coin in 2012. Devices fabricated at the JWNC have been used to monitor volcanic activity on Mount Etna, measure air quality on the International Space Station, and develop quantum cascade lasers for applications ranging from explosives detection to defence countermeasures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each year, more than 200 postgraduate students train in the Centre, with alumni now working across the global tech ecosystem at companies including Google, Microsoft, ASML, Micron and BAE Systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, the Centre\u2019s leaders are setting their sights on establishing an even more ambitious facility in the years ahead. A proposal for a new facility, called the Critical Technologies Nanofabrication Facility (CTNF), is under development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CTNF will aim to take critical technologies from the lab to commercial deployment. The facility will build on the JWNC\u2019s expertise to expand the UK\u2019s capability in rapid prototyping and low volume production for SMEs and corporates, reducing their reliance on offshore manufacturing. It will also train highly-skilled staff and contribute to UK economic growth and national security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Evelyn Toma, the JWNC\u2019s director of strategy, said: \u201cAs proud as we are to be celebrating two decades of achievement, particularly during the University of Glasgow\u2019s own 575th anniversary year, our plans for the next phase are about scale and impact. Our ambition is that the CTNF will help companies take critical technologies from lab to market faster and more securely, while training the people who will build the next generation of devices here in the UK.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A Scottish high-tech manufacturing facility which helped create the technology that runs the modern internet is celebrating its 20th\u00a0anniversary.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":36484,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36472","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-research"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/20thAnniversary_19-1-1-scaled.webp",2560,1754,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/20thAnniversary_19-1-1-200x200.webp",200,200,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/20thAnniversary_19-1-1-675x462.webp",675,462,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/20thAnniversary_19-1-1-768x526.webp",750,514,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/20thAnniversary_19-1-1-1100x753.webp",750,513,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/20thAnniversary_19-1-1-1536x1052.webp",1536,1052,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/20thAnniversary_19-1-1-2048x1403.webp",2048,1403,true],"ultp_layout_landscape_large":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/20thAnniversary_19-1-1-1200x800.webp",1200,800,true],"ultp_layout_landscape":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/20thAnniversary_19-1-1-870x570.webp",870,570,true],"ultp_layout_portrait":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/20thAnniversary_19-1-1-600x900.webp",600,900,true],"ultp_layout_square":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/20thAnniversary_19-1-1-600x600.webp",600,600,true],"newspaper-x-single-post":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/20thAnniversary_19-1-1-760x490.webp",760,490,true],"newspaper-x-recent-post-big":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/20thAnniversary_19-1-1-550x360.webp",550,360,true],"newspaper-x-recent-post-list-image":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/20thAnniversary_19-1-1-95x65.webp",95,65,true],"web-stories-poster-portrait":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/20thAnniversary_19-1-1-640x853.webp",640,853,true],"web-stories-publisher-logo":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/20thAnniversary_19-1-1-96x96.webp",96,96,true],"web-stories-thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/20thAnniversary_19-1-1-150x103.webp",150,103,true]},"author_info":{"info":["RevoScience"]},"category_info":"Research<\/a>","tag_info":"Research","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36472","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36472"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36472\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36485,"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36472\/revisions\/36485"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36484"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36472"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36472"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36472"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}