James Watt Nanofabrication Centre

In March 2026, the James Watt Nanofabrication Centre (JWNC) marks 20 years since the first fabrication activity began in its cleanroom.

While the centre was formally established in 2005 and officially opened in 2007, we are celebrating 2026 as the true starting point of JWNC in operation. On 26 March 2006, the first job was completed on the electron beam lithography system, a moment that marked the beginning of a journey that has since positioned JWNC and Kelvin Nanotechnology (KNT) as part of a small number of qualified suppliers producing at scale for global datacomms and emerging AI supply chains

Two decades of impact

Over the past 20 years, JWNC has become a critical part of the UK’s research and innovation landscape in quantum technologies, photonics and semiconductors.

Building on more than 40 years of leadership in nanofabrication research at the University of Glasgow, JWNC combines academic excellence with industrial delivery through Kelvin Nanotechnology (KNT).

In the last three years alone, the facility has:

  • Supported over £150M of collaborative research across critical technology disciplines
  • Worked with over 150 companies through prototyping and production services delivered via KNT
  • Trains hundreds of PhD and MSc students annually, building the next generation of engineers and researchers in critical technologies

This activity translates directly into real-world impact, supporting technologies deployed globally across communications, sensing and healthcare, while strengthening the UK’s onshore, sovereign capability in critical technologies.

Today, JWNC remains one of the UK’s most versatile and industry-engaged academic nanofabrication facilities, underpinning both discovery-led research and the translation of new technologies towards application.


20 years of JWNC A timeline of various key moments throughout the last 20 years of JWNC history

Looking ahead

As demand for secure, onshore capability in critical technologies continues to grow, the next chapter for JWNC is already underway.

The Critical Technologies Nanofabrication Facility (CTNF) will build on JWNC’s 20-year track record, expanding capability to support larger-scale prototyping, low-volume manufacturing, and secure processing for nationally important technologies.


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First published: 26 March 2026

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