Quietest building in the world opens for nanotech research
The University of Bristol opened its Centre for Nanoscience and Quantum Information this week. This £11 million building provides specialised laboratories where vibration and acoustic noise levels are among the lowest ever achieved, despite being located in the centre of Bristol.
Part of the University of Bristol, the purpose-designed environment will house a multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary research community drawn from science, engineering and medicine across the world, encouraging innovation to thrive through stimulating interactions and the exchange of ideas.
The builder was UK-based Wilmott Dixon Construction and Neal Stephens, md of Willmott Dixon South West and Wales, said: “Due to the stringent and exacting nature of nanoscience, the new facility had to meet the most detailed constraints for vibration and acoustics. An extremely controlled environment is paramount with almost zero vibration, acoustic and air movements. The demands, therefore, for quality in construction and delivery were second-to-none.”
Capita Symonds provided project management services and the building was designed by the company’s architecture division, Capita Architecture. Iain Martin, Capita Architecture, said: “The NSQI is complex and beautiful, amalgamating both art and science in one harmonious composition. Although technically complex, it has exceeded expectations by becoming ‘the quietest building in the world’ in terms of vibration performance. For the scientists, it is a beautiful building for that reason alone!”
The basement level houses the 'low noise' area with a suite of ultra-low vibration nanoscience laboratories, ultimately anchored to the bedrock. The labs are serviced by a suite of preparation areas and a (class 1000) cleanroom.
The ground floor contains the main seminar and interaction spaces, as well as the quantum optical laboratories with low-velocity, constant temperature, filtered air and medium low vibration provided by 450-millimetre-thick concrete suspended floors.
The 'Wet Lab' is located on the second floor. Also this area contains the cell and bacterial culture labs and a second class 1000 cleanroom.
Some of the characteristics of the research areas are: low vibration (inertia blocks & keel slabs), high quality VAC power supply (clean earth), low acoustic noise, temperature control, controllable air flow, shielded against EM radiation,
Examples of research being carried out in the Centre include: A novel material made of tiny diamonds that is set to create a new and ‘greener’ way of producing electricity. The material’s unique properties will enable the sun’s heat to be converted directly into electricity. The exceptional environment offered by the NSQI will allow experiments on this material to be undertaken at levels of precision surpassing that achieved in other laboratories around the world.
A cancerous cell has very different properties from a healthy cell, so by probing it with nano-tools information about its surface properties could be obtained, aiding those engaged in the fight against cancer. Such tools may also be capable of modifying cells using a kind of nanosurgery. Collaborations are already under way with biomedical groups working on cardiac stem cells and neurons.
A primitive quantum computer that uses single particles of light (photons) whizzing through a silicon chip has just performed its first mathematical calculation. This is a major step forward in the quest to realise a super-powerful quantum computer.