ICFO - The Institute of Photonic Sciences

Researching light and photonics

ICFO - The Institute of Photonic Sciences is a research center devoted to photonics, a field with important applications across a range of disciplines. It was founded in 2002 by the Government of Catalonia and Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC). The center's board of trustees also includes the philanthropic foundations Cellex and Mir-Puig, which have supported ICFO since 2007.

ICFO is part of the CERCA research network and the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology. It has received three consecutive Severo Ochoa distinctions from Spain's Ministry of Science and Innovation.

Research programs

Its facilities at the Mediterranean Technology Park in the Barcelona metropolitan area house 80 advanced laboratories. Research spans basic and applied topics relevant to medicine and biology, advanced imaging, information technologies, environmental sensors, tunable and ultrafast lasers, quantum science, photovoltaics, and the properties and applications of nanomaterials such as graphene.

Research areas include advanced and quantum materials; energy and the environment; quantum science and technologies; bionanophotonics and medical photonics; and ultrafast science of light and matter.

Education and research training

ICFO offers master's and doctoral programs, research placements, internships, and scholarships. Its master's programs include the Master in Photonics, EUROPhotonics (EMMC), the Master of Multidisciplinary Research in Experimental Sciences, and the Master in Quantum Science and Technology. The institute also offers postdoctoral training and research schools.

Innovation and industry partnerships

ICFO participates in the European Technology Platform Photonics21 and supports entrepreneurship and spin-off companies. It takes part in incubation activities and works to attract venture-capital investment. Its Corporate Liaison Program is designed to build partnerships between industry and the institute's researchers.

ICFO coordinates the European photonic-chip pilot line PIXEurope and is developing the Clean Planet Program to advance and deploy renewable and clean-energy technologies.

Website

icfo.es