The University of Waterloo has officially opened its state-of-the-art Inert Atmosphere Fabrication Lab (IAFL) as part of the Quantum-Nano Fabrication and Characterization Facility (QNFCF).

Many materials used in quantum-nano fabrication can easily react with oxygen, so they must be assembled in a special, oxygen-free environment. This lab was carefully designed and built by the QNFCF team, with help from Angstrom Engineering and JEOL USA, to support the quantum research community at the Institute for Quantum Computing, the University of Waterloo and beyond.

Managed by QNFCF, the lab offers open access and professional maintenance to benefit researchers and industry partners through the Quantum Colaboratory initiative. It offers training and consultation for those who want to learn how to use the facility for their projects.

Facilities like these enable researchers at Waterloo to advance basic and applied research in quantum science, quantum computing and quantum simulation. By pushing the frontiers of knowledge in these areas, they are driving the development of new technologies and enhancing our understanding of physics and materials.