On 20 June 2025, the Cambridge Graphene Centre (CGC) was pleased to host Professor Anders Mikkelsen from Lund University, Sweden, for a QAMSS Advanced Technology Lecture as part of the Michaelmas Term series.
Prof. Mikkelsen, Director of NanoLund—Sweden’s largest research environment in nanoscience—delivered a fascinating lecture titled "Compound Semiconductor Nanostructures for Neuromorphic Computing and Sensing". He introduced the audience to the cutting-edge work at NanoLund, particularly their focus on the rational synthesis and application of III-V compound semiconductor nanostructures.
The talk highlighted the use of advanced in-situ microscopy, high-performance light-based probes such as atto- and femtosecond lasers, and a new suite of fabrication tools, which enable transformative research in nanomaterials, quantum sensing, energy transfer, and biomolecular detection.
A key focus was the InsectNeuroNano project, an EU-funded initiative inspired by insect neurobiology. Prof. Mikkelsen explained how his team is developing nanophotonic on-chip devices that mimic the neural computations found in insect brains—using III-V nano-optoelectronic components, photonic guiding, and reversible photoresponsive dye memories to build neuromorphic circuits. The goal is to replicate the full biological pathway from polarised light detection to internal compass navigation.
The talk drew strong interest from attendees and sparked dynamic discussions on the potential of bio-inspired computing and nanotechnology-driven innovation.
We thank Prof. Mikkelsen for his visit and for sharing his visionary work as part of our ongoing QAMSS Advanced Technology Lecture series.
