QFoundry brings together UK's most established supply chains for quantum semiconductor components to address critical challenges in manufacturing and deliver a National (and World's first) open-access Quantum device foundry. Utilising existing infrastructure and capital, QFoundry will deliver the foundations for robust, scalable component manufacture in the UK to enable future volume Quantum Technology applications. QFoundry will initially focus on developing manufacturing platforms and supply chains for single-mode Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VCSELs) and single-photon emitters/detectors to include Quantum Dot (QD) and Multiple Quantum Well (MQW) structures. QFoundry will leverage knowledge gained to-date across the UK QT programme to: * Upscale discrete component manufacture using standard semiconductor manufacturing techniques. * Consolidate links in existing UK supply chains for robust, open-access supply of VCSELs and Single Photon devices, from design to packaged components. * Develop the methodology to accelerate high-uniformity, reproducibly and reliability in the context of QT applications.

"There is a significant need for technology that is effective in remotely detecting, identifying, quantifying and monitoring chemical emissions at ultra-low concentration levels in real world cluttered environments, such as toxic gases and chemicals, fugitive emissions and chemical weapon agents. This program will deliver a highly disruptive, versatile, sensitive, standoff chemical imager, using a novel ultrasensitive narrowband detector that provides several orders of magnitude improvement in detectivity over any currently available solution. The detectors will be integrated in M-Squared Lasers (MSL) Firefly instrumentation, enabling a full system demonstration of active hyperspectral imaging that will push the state of the art in terms of unprecedented sensitivity and target discrimination. The system will provide the necessary advancement that is required for the practical implementation of remote sensing and imaging at a useful stand-off distance. The project team includes a specialist infrared detector technology company (Amethyst Research), a science provider (Lancaster University), and an established system integrator (M-Squared Lasers); a focussed supply chain that is equipped to deliver both innovation and commercialisation."

To develop the next generation of ultra-high performance infrared optoelectronic device detectors.

The Theia project will investigate the assembly of Infrared Focal Plane arrays using group III-V compound semiconductor devices onto conventional lower cost silicon. The project is novel in that it aims to use conventional commercial specification process and die placement equipment rather than bespoke high tolerance machinery. Typically, these are used in high value applications such as space, military and security. These high resolution imaging systems typically use a combination of Group III-V sensor die stacked onto conventional silicon read-out chip and then placed into a suitable package in a hybrid stack

Quantum communication systems require photon detectors that are capable of single photon capture, and quantum imaging requires detectors arrays that can be tuned to specific photon energies. We will build on initial Phase 1 work which delivered a proof of concept demonstration of a novel extended infrared Single Photon Avalanche Detector (SPAD) technology, based on a novel compound semiconductor active region. The objective of Phase 2 of the development is to further improve the performance of the core detector platform, produce a packaged SPAD, scale up the existing single element demonstrator to a 2D SPAD array and de-risk array integration towards an industry relevant single photon imaging sub-system. The project will consolidate the existing consortia of academia, SME’s and industry led by Amethyst Research Ltd, in partnership with Lancaster University, CST and Selex ES (as a subcontractor). In addition, we have extended the reach of the project with an associate partnership with Heriot Watt University to evaluate the technology in advanced single photon detection applications.

The objective of this project is to undertake a technical feasibility study to prototype and assess a newly conceived, potentially disruptive Single Photon detector technology. Current common Single Photon Avalanche Detection (SPAD) technology is based on Silicon, which has significant limitations in terms of detection of light only between 300-1100nm, corresponding to the optical bandgap of silicon. The technology proposed for this project will employ compound semiconductor materials which enables wavelength discrimination and can be bandgap engineered for a wide range of photon energies. The program brings together an experienced portfolio of academia, SME’s and industry. The project will be led by Amethyst Research Ltd, in partnership with Lancaster University, CST and Selex ES (as a subcontractor).

Amethyst Research Ltd (ARL) proposes a study to assess the commercial viability of a disruptive solid-state infra-red (IR) detector technology which enables cost effective manufacturing of high performance sensors for chemical/gas detection and IR imaging. The focus of the study will be to explore the commercial potential of developing a semiconductor opto-electronic sensor platform using so-called Amethyst Barrier Technology (ABaT). Furthermore, it will explore the market need for integrating the detector technology with established electronics for use as Single Element Device (SED) sensors and in Focal Plane Arrays (FPA) camera systems. The resulting platform technology has the potential to provide IR detectors that will significantly improve the performance, manufacturability and affordability of the current state of the art of commercial systems. The study will target verification of whether the ABaT is commercially viable in terms of device performance, price points, system integration and overall market acceptance. The target applications will include: - Single Element Devices for gas/chemical sensing - Single Element Devices for spectroscopy - Focal Plane Array for IR imagery