The Department of Physics carries out various researches in collaboration with industries. An important goal of these activities is the direct transfer of specific knowledges developed within the Department to implement in reality new applications, technologies as well as highly innovative products. The Department fosters participation to industrial research projects, not only aimed at developing basic ideas, but also to produce test samples and prototypes. Among the industries with which there are active collaborations it is worth mentioning ENI S.p.A., ST Microelectronics, Pevafersa, Bracco Imaging, Bruker Biospin, Colorobbia, Horiba Jobin Yvon.
Moreover, the Department promotes preservation of its intellectual property, and of the inventions realized within its own research activities, also by seeking patents. In the case of inventions originated from collaborative researches with industries or other institutions, the Department favours filing joint patents, under the condition that it preserves the visibility of the University contribution as well as the industrial interest for economic viability and exploitation.
The Department strongly supports the creation of a spin-off, especially from young researchers, as a mean to facilitate the development of new technologies, in strict collaboration with academic research. As an example, from the Department research activity in the field of biosensors, in collaboration with the JRC of European Commission, the spin-off company PLASMORE - Plasmonics for Molecular Recognition has been created, which has been recognised as an academic spin-off from the University of Pavia. The Department hopes for the growth of PLASMORE, but also for the creation of other spin-offs to enhance the value of its own research activity.