imaging of the cathode material. This project also involved Qnami, a startup that was founded within the SNI network. Since 2023, the NI Lab has been an active partner in the tri- national project WiVitis, which develops strategies for cultivating climate-resistant grape varieties. The NI Lab’s contribution stems primarily from Evi Bieler in the form of valuable data on grape health, which she obtains using cryo-electron microscopy. The team recently further developed the technique of electrochem- ical impedance spectroscopy with a view to delivering key infor- mation on the physical barrier of grape skin. Due to the promis- ing results, the partners involved are expected to apply for a follow-up project, as WiVitis will expire in April 2026 and the successful collaboration should to be continued. In 2025, many analyses by NI Lab staff were again carried out in collaboration with research groups from the SNI network. For example, Dr. Alexander Vogel was involved in a project with Professor Ilaria Zardo’s group at the Department of Physics of the University of Basel. The results, which the researchers pub- lished jointly, showed that it is possible to control the electronic properties of thin germanium layers by stretching their crystal lattice in a targeted manner. This represents a key step toward practical applications of germanium-based quantum chips. Expanded range of services In order to boost the range of services and opportunities for new research collaborations, the NI Lab team is always open to new technologies — such as three-dimensional electron diffraction for analyzing nanostructures. The ED-1 electron diffractometer was developed by the startup ELDICO Scientific, which has been working with the SNI since being founded from a Nano-Argovia project. In 2025, Marcus Wyss and Alexander Vogel learned to use the ED-1 at ELDICO Scientific and are now in a position to carry out measurements for SNI members. In an initial pilot project, they are investigating the various axes of growth for nanowires from Ilaria Zardo’s lab. For SNI members who are curious about the possibilities of electron diffraction, the NI Lab also acts as a point of contact for measurements on the ED-1 from ELDICO Scientific Marcus Wyss and Alexander Vogel from the NI Lab can now also provide SNI members with measurements using the electron diffrac- tometer from ELDICO Scientific for three-di- mensional structural determination of small crystals. (Images: NI Lab, SNI, University of Basel) 55 SNI Annual Report 2025