SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH COMPANY ELECTRON-CARAT BRANCH OF PRIVATE JOINT STOCK COMPANY CONCERN-ELECTRON

Their core work

Electron-Carat is a private scientific research laboratory based in Lviv, Ukraine, specializing in the physics and engineering of optical materials — from anisotropic crystalline nanocomposites to organic light-emitting compounds. Their work covers both classical photonics (electro-optic and acousto-optic cells, quasi-optical systems) and next-generation organic emitters designed for displays, lighting, and organic laser applications. In EU projects they function as a specialist research partner, contributing experimental and materials-characterization capabilities to international consortia. Their dual focus on inorganic crystal optics and organic luminescent chemistry positions them at the intersection of traditional photonics and modern organic electronics.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Their two projects, started just one year apart, already reveal a meaningful pivot in research focus. The earlier IMAGE project (2018) is rooted in classical crystal optics — anisotropy engineering, quasi-optical systems, and electro-acoustic devices — representing a physics-heavy, inorganic materials tradition. The MEGA project (2019) marks a sharp turn toward organic chemistry, targeting heavy-metal-free fluorescent emitters and TADF phenomena for modern display and laser applications. This suggests the organization is actively expanding from physical/crystal optics into the growing field of organic photonics and optoelectronics.

They are moving from inorganic crystal-based photonics toward organic optoelectronic materials — a field with high commercial demand in sustainable displays, solid-state lighting, and organic lasers — making them an increasingly relevant partner for industry-facing photonics projects.

How they like to work

Electron-Carat has never led an H2020 project, participating exclusively as a consortium member in both engagements. Both projects used the MSCA-RISE scheme, which is built around researcher mobility and staff exchanges, meaning their contribution is primarily laboratory expertise and personnel rather than project management. With 22 distinct partners across just two projects, they operate inside large, internationally distributed consortia rather than tight bilateral collaborations.

Despite only two projects, Electron-Carat has built connections with 22 unique partners spanning 11 countries — a wide network for a small SME, driven by the MSCA-RISE format which inherently links multiple European and associated institutions. Their network is geographically diverse rather than concentrated in any single country cluster.

What sets them apart

Electron-Carat is unusual in combining classical crystal optics expertise (anisotropy, electro-acoustic devices) with active engagement in organic photonics (TADF, ASE, organic lasers) — a breadth that few SMEs of this size can credibly claim. Based in Lviv, they represent a Ukrainian research tradition in optical sciences that is often underrepresented in EU consortia, giving consortium builders access to a skilled photonics lab at competitive cost with genuine research depth. For any project needing both materials characterization of optical crystals and synthesis or testing of organic emitters, they are a rare single-organization resource.

Highlights from their portfolio

• IMAGE
  The larger of the two projects (EUR 198,000, running to 2024), covering the organization's core optical and anisotropy engineering expertise across a six-year timeline.
• MEGA
  Signals a strategic expansion into organic emitter chemistry — heavy-metal-free TADF materials for displays and organic lasers — a commercially relevant and fast-growing application field.