Achievements

This scientific breakthrough by researchers Heide Ibrahim and François Légaré, both from INRS, was named one of Québec Science’s 10 discoveries of the year for 2021.

Raman spectroscopy as a rapid detection tool for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 — that’s what postdoctoral fellow Katherine Ember and Professor Frédéric Leblond of Polytechnique Montréal are proposing.

The probe developed by Frédéric Leblond (Polytechnique Montréal) and his colleague, oncological neurosurgeon Kevin Petrecca, was named one of Québec Science magazine’s top 10 discoveries of 2017. This pencil-sized tool can detect cancer cells in real time during brain surgery — cells that were previously undetectable.

Developed under the direction of Tigran Galstian (Université Laval) and based on liquid crystal technology, the lens can be integrated into light fixtures and can focus LED light from a smartphone.

Work carried out in François Légaré’s laboratories at INRS on molecular chirality made it possible to observe, at the attosecond scale, the changes that occur in the chemical properties of molecules when they are struck by a laser beam emitting attosecond-scale pulses. This scientific breakthrough was ranked among the top 10 discoveries of 2018.

Optical quantum states based on entangled photons are essential for addressing questions in fundamental physics and are at the heart of quantum information science. A team led by Roberto Morandotti and José Azaña of INRS achieved a breakthrough in quantum photonics using on-chip devices and commercially available telecommunications components. The team demonstrated that photons can become an accessible and powerful quantum resource when generated as entangled quDits across a color spectrum.

Covered by numerous science-outreach media outlets around the world, this achievement from Pablo Bianucci’s laboratory at Concordia University demonstrates the potential of zinc oxide nanorods for developing: new, low-cost, more efficient optical sensors for gas detection; more efficient solar panels; and low-cost hydrogen fuel cells.

By using femtosecond lasers to trigger bandgap shifts inside crystals and glasses, a COPL team observed nanoscopic changes favorable to writing 3D waveguides with micrometric bend radii that can be used to direct light while minimizing energy loss. Previously, the smallest bend radii achieved for three-dimensionally fabricated waveguides were on the order of 10 mm. This technological advance, achieved by Jérôme Lapointe in collaboration with colleagues from Réal Vallée’s and Younès Messaddeq’s research teams (Université Laval), paves the way for unprecedented miniaturization of highly sought-after photonic and quantum circuits.

For years, researchers had worked unsuccessfully to develop a silica optical fiber capable of self-cooling under laser irradiation. Such a fiber would pave the way for high-power lasers that require no cooling, as well as for the development of laser devices with exceptionally pure and stable frequencies.

Collaborative work carried out over nearly a decade by Prof Martin Bernier from Université Laval with Prof Michel Digonnet of Stanford University in California has indeed led to the development of the first self-cooling silica fiber — a major step forward toward practical applications.

A team from François Légaré’s laboratory at INRS observed roaming hydrogen fragments orbiting around an HCO fragment during a chemical reaction. The images were captured at the femtosecond scale.

Leading a multi-institutional team of 7 researchers, Paul Charette (Université de Sherbrooke) directed the development of the world’s first high-resolution infrared camera for non-military markets. This achievement is now commercialized by an industrial partner.