i3N was created in 2006 as an Associate Laboratory by the Portuguese Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, i3N was a partnership between 2 leading research units in fundamental and applied science: CENIMAT (Materials Research Center, hosted by the New University of Lisbon) and FSCOSD (Physics of Semiconductors, Optoelectronics and disordered Systems, hosted by the University of Aveiro).

After 13 years, the balance is very positive, i3N achieved a leading position in a strong national and international impact been a pioneer for example in the fields of photovoltaics, thin-film microelectronics, paper electronics and transparent (oxide) electronics, having contributed in these areas to National and European public policies.

i3N is a cross-interdisciplinary institute built on existing institutional strengths, and offers world class, in the area of development and innovation at leading-edge of research and education, organized in 6 research groups in order to address the challenges of i3N strategic research fields
•    Sustainable Micro and Nanotechnology,
•    Energy Efficiency,
•    Nanomaterials Engineeiring,
•    and BiomedicalEngineering,
supported by a common and relevant activity related to materials and devices characterization, device physics, modeling and simulation.

I would like to emphasize the 6 ERCs grants already achieved as well as the number of international projects and patents, which places i3N as the leading research institute in Portugal in the area of Materials Science and Nanotechnologies.

At i3N we believe that the combined strengths of a collaborative team is by far, orders of magnitude bigger than the sum of the individuals. In a multidisciplinary field such as Nanotechnology this is even more true.

Nanoscience and Nanotechnology in strong relation with Advanced Materials, are the front of modern research. The fast growing economy in this area requires experts who have an outstanding knowledge of nanoscience in combination with the skills to apply this knowledge in new products. At i3N we are also training the future generations in order to prepare them for academia, industry and the wonderful world of entrepreneurship.

With the state-of-the art tools for micro/nanotechnology fabrication, advanced materials production, and device characterization available at i3N, the sky is the limit in terms of what one can achieve here!

We welcome you at i3N.