About Project
Project name: Cryogenic centre at the Institute of Physics
Contract No.: KK.01.1.1.02.0012
User: Institute of Physics
Duration of the Project: 01.07.2018. – 01.07.2022.
Total value of the Project: 39.663.665,00 HRK
Non-refundable EU funds: 39.558.639,75 HRK
Funds: European Regional Development Fund
Operational programme: Operational Programme Competitiveness and Cohesion 2014-2020
Contact person: Dr. Damir Starešinić, project leader; e-mail: damirs@ifs.hr, kacif@ifs.hr; tel.: + 385 1 469 8845
The Cryogenic centre at the Institute of Physics project is funded by the EU funds within the Call Investment in organizational reform and infrastructure in the research, development and innovation sector, KK.01.1.1.02. More informations about the EU funds can be found on the link.
Brief description of the Project
The Institute of Physics (IF) is one of the leading physics research institutions in the Republic of Croatia. Among the most important scientific activities of the IF are research activities in the field of condensed matter physics and material science, which are closely connected with the technology of reaching very low temperatures. IF has 50 years of expertise in recycling and liquefying of helium which is the basic cryogenic medium used in both fundamental and applied investigations in low temperature physics in all scientific and scientific-educational institutions in Zagreb.
Within the Cryogenic center of the Institute of Physics (KaCIF) project, the infrastructure necessary for conducting top research in condensed matter physics will be modernized and upgraded:
- a new modern helium liquefier will be purchased,
- the present equipment for helium recycling and liquefying will be upgraded,
- new equipment for scientific research will be purchased,
- the prototype workshop which will use the cryogen-free technology for building of the measuring devices for material characterization will be established and equipped.
Objectives and expected outcomes of the Project
The main goal of the Cryogenic centre at the Institute of Physics (KaCIF) project is upgrading of already present and developing of new low temperature techniques, as well as the modernization and upgrading of scientific research equipment used in fundamental and applied research in condensed matter physics.
The objectives of the KaCIF project are constituent part of the organizational reform of the Institute of Physics, and, in the broader context of the whole research, development and innovations sector of the Republic of Croatia, which will enable the enhancement of the scope and quality of the scientific research activities and ensure the international recognition and competitiveness of Croatian scientific institutions. The implementation of the KaCIF project will establish and equip the following organizational units on the Institute of Physics:
The Department for investigations of materials in extreme conditions will involve four specialized scientific research laboratories. The acquisition of the state-of-the-art scientific research equipment, together with the existing experimental abilities of the Institute of Physics will enable the investigations of matter in wide range of conditions: extremely low temperatures (up to ~10 mK), very high magnetic fields (up to 20 T) and high pressures (~10 GPa). This constitutes the basis for top fundamental research and understanding of physical processes and phenomena in condensed matter, as well as for industry motivated material investigations.
Cryogenic facility with modern helium liquefier and upgraded cryogenic infrastructure will ensure sufficient quantities of liquid helium for all existing and future users from both Institute of Physics and other scientific educational and research institutions in the Republic of Croatia (particularly from the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Zagreb and the Ruđer Bošković Institute). This will enable research and development of laboratories in the field of condensed matter physics and connected multidisciplinary fields in Zagreb, stimulate collaboration and networking of the scientific research institutions.
Prototype workshop will be a center for application of cryogen-free technology in building of measuring devices and developing the technology solutions for industry. This newly equipped Prototype workshop continues the long tradition and broad experience in building of specialized top performance measuring devices on the Institute of Physics. This workshop will develop technology solutions for industry, innovations, patent applications, which is fundamental for industry motivated scientific research and new spin-off initiatives in collaboration with partners from industry.
The organizational reform will enable new employment of scientists at the Institute of Physics. We expect at least ten permanently employed scientists at IF to perform their investigations in KaCIF laboratories upon the implementation of the Project. Accordingly, we expect the enhancement of the number of PhD and postdoctoral students, which will represent the direct contribution of our Institute to the processes of high education and career development of young scientists. As a result, we expect more scientific publications to be published in scientific journals indexed in „Web of Science“ platform, as well as the enhancement of the number of competitive Croatian and international project applications.