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Nanotechnologies and Nanosystems Research Laboratory
Research and innovation from materials to systems
LN2 (Laboratoire Nanotechnologies Nanosystèmes) is an international research laboratory bringing together Université de Sherbrooke in Canada and France’s Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CRNS), with the support of INSA Lyon, École Centrale de Lyon and Université Grenoble Alpes.
Based primarily at the Institut interdisciplinaire d’innovation technologique (3IT) in Sherbrooke, Canada, LN2 brings together a French-Canadian research community working across fundamental research, technological development, training and innovation.
LN2 fosters scientific collaboration between France and Canada, provides an international environment for training the next generation of researchers, and contributes to technology transfer through academic and industrial partnerships.
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A French-Canadian research laboratory with an international reach
Founded in 2012, LN2 is an International Research Laboratory (IRL 3463) associated with Université de Sherbrooke and the Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS). The laboratory is also supported by INSA Lyon, École Centrale de Lyon and Université Grenoble Alpes.
This international structure brings together researchers and students from complementary scientific and technological backgrounds. It creates opportunities for collaboration and mobility between Canada and France and strengthens connections between European and North American research communities.
Research, training and collaboration are closely interconnected at LN2. The laboratory supports scientific exchange, graduate education, technological development and partnerships with academic and industrial organizations.
LN2 at a glance
152 members at 3IT
28 faculty members, including 5 CNRS personnel
20 postdoctoral researchers
72 PhDs in progress, including 19 joint PhDs
10 master’s degrees in progress
2,000 m² of technological space at 3IT
$36 million in equipment
Research: From materials to integrated systems
Research at LN2 spans the technological chain from materials growth to system integration. It also examines the socio-environmental dimensions of technological development.
This interdisciplinary approach brings together expertise in materials, electronics, photonics, microfabrication and integration. By connecting these fields, LN2 researchers can address scientific questions at different scales, from the fundamental properties of materials to the integration of technologies into complex systems.
LN2 research is organized around five areas.
Nanomaterials
Research in nanomaterials investigates the properties and behaviour of materials at the nanoscale, providing a foundation for the development of emerging technologies and devices.
Nanoelectronics
Research in nanoelectronics explores electronic technologies at micro- and nanometre scales, connecting advances in materials and devices with technological applications.
Nanophotonics
Nanophotonics focuses on technologies involving light at very small scales, contributing expertise that complements the laboratory’s work in materials, devices and integrated systems.
Heterogeneous Integration and Advanced Microfabrication
This research area addresses the fabrication and integration of components and technologies into more complex devices and systems.
Impacts, Uses and Social Implementation
Technological development also raises questions about how innovations are used, adopted and integrated into society. This research area broadens LN2’s scientific perspective by considering the socio-environmental dimensions of emerging technologies.
Scientific Impact: An active international research community
LN2 contributes to the advancement of micro- and nanotechnologies through scientific publications, international conferences and collaborations with research groups and networks.
Since 2020, LN2’s scientific output has included more than 220 scientific publications and 40 conference proceedings. Research by LN2 members has appeared in journals including Nature Communications, Small and Advanced Science.
In 2023, LN2 publications received more than 1,000 citations.
LN2 members also contribute actively to the international scientific community, with approximately 170 conference contributions, including more than 40 invited presentations.
These activities are complemented by collaborations with laboratories and research networks in France, Quebec and Canada, as well as scientific exchanges, seminars and visiting delegations.
Research Infrastructure: An environment connecting science and technology
LN2 is part of a broader research and innovation environment at Université de Sherbrooke. Its activities draw on major research infrastructures including the Institut interdisciplinaire d’innovation technologique (3IT), the Institut quantique (IQ) and the Centre de Collaboration MiQro Innovation (C2MI).
LN2 is primarily based at 3IT, where its research environment includes 2,000 m² of technological space and an equipment park valued at $36 million.
These resources support work across the technological spectrum, from materials to systems, and provide an environment for advanced micro- and nanofabrication research.
By bringing researchers, students, scientific expertise and technological infrastructure together, LN2 creates connections between fundamental research and technological development.
Academic and Industry Collaboration: Connecting fundamental research with technological challenges
Collaboration is central to LN2’s research model.
The laboratory develops international partnerships with research groups and networks in France, Quebec and Canada. These collaborations allow complementary scientific expertise to be brought together around shared research questions.
LN2 also conducts projects co-funded by industrial partners in collaboration with academic researchers, contributing to the transfer of technological innovation beyond the university research environment.
One example is the joint laboratory involving LN2, STMicroelectronics and INL. Its research in microelectronics addresses non-volatile memories, optical sensors and quantum computing.
Through these academic and industrial collaborations, LN2 provides an environment where fundamental research and technological challenges can meet.
Study and Research at LN2: Join an international research environment
LN2 offers students and early-career researchers the opportunity to conduct research in an interdisciplinary environment connecting France and Europe with Quebec and North America.
Research training is an integral part of the laboratory’s mission. Students work alongside researchers from different scientific backgrounds and have access to an environment combining fundamental research, advanced technologies and international collaboration.
Opportunities at LN2 span several stages of an academic research career:
- undergraduate research internships;
- master’s research projects;
- PhD research;
- postdoctoral research.
More than 148 PhDs, including 45 joint PhDs, have been completed or are currently underway. Between 2020 and 2024, 66 postdoctoral researchers also contributed to LN2 research projects.
For students and researchers interested in micro- and nanotechnologies, LN2 offers an opportunity to develop scientific expertise while contributing to interdisciplinary and international research.
Collaborate with the LN2 Community
LN2 brings together research, advanced technologies, training and international collaboration within a French-Canadian environment.
Its interdisciplinary approach connects materials to systems and fundamental research to technological applications. Its relationships with academic institutions and industrial partners create opportunities for scientific exchange and collaborative research.
For research collaborations, industrial partnerships and general enquiries, get in touch with the LN2 team.